Turkey rejects Russian claims over US ships in Black Sea. - The Implementation of the Montreux Convention

Turkey yesterday dismissed as “out of the question” claims from Russia that it had allowed US warships to stay longer in the Black Sea than permitted under international law.

 Russia has complained that US warships have remained in the Black Sea longer than the 21 days allowed by an international treaty, amid ongoing tensions between Moscow and the West.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said last week that US vessels had “a couple of times” stayed longer than 21 days, contravening the 1936 Montreux Convention.

“We brought this to the attention of the American side and of course Turkey, which is the country that hosts the straits,” Lavrov was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti state news agency.

But Ankara hit back, with the foreign ministry dismissing as “odd” Russia’s insistence on the convention, which limits the stay of warships from countries that do not border the Black Sea.

A Russian diplomat was called into the foreign ministry yesterday to hear Turkey’s views on the matter.
According to Russian media, the USS Taylor stayed too long in Black Sea waters, under the pretext it needed a propeller screw repaired in the Turkish port of Samsun.
[ellanodikhs.net]
12/4/14
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• Russia complains of US presence in Black Sea. -- Moscow contacted both Ankara and Washington over the issue

• Moscow wants NATO to explain military build-up in Europe

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• No: 116, 12 April 2014, Press Release Regarding the Implementation of the Montreux Convention

We are perplexed by the Russian Federation’s insistence on keeping the implementation of the Montreux Convention on the agenda.
In the statements reported in the press on 3 April 2014, the Russian side claimed that US warships extended their stay in the Black Sea on two recent occasions in contravention of the provisions of the Montreux Convention. Their latest statement of April 10th, however, states that only the “USS Taylor” stayed in the Black Sea more than 21 days.

• As it was in fact reflected in the press, the aforementioned ship was stuck due to a propeller damage which occurred while entering the port of Samsun. As reparation efforts yielded no result, the ship was towed outside the Black Sea and the Straits. The Russian Federation and the other parties of the Montreux Convention were informed of the matter. The allegation that the Montreux Convention was violated because of the time spent in trying to repair at our seaport a damaged ship which was incapable of moving is incomprehensible.

The second ship, not named in the statement of the Russian side, but mentioned by the Russian media is the US warship “USS Truxtun”, which, although having changed its date of return through the Straits after entering the Black Sea, left the Black Sea within the 21 days limit provided by the Convention. Therefore, there was no violation whatsoever.

• As it has done over the past 78 years, Turkey will keep conscientiously implementing the Montreux Convention which significantly contributes to the security of the Black Sea littoral countries. We believe that discussing technical provisions of the Convention through the media will not benefit anyone, particularly the Black Sea littoral countries which are parties to it.

• These considerations have been explicitly conveyed to a Russian Embassy official who was invited to the Ministry yesterday (April 11).  

[mfa.gov.tr]
12/4/14