The US plans for the possible deployment of its nuclear submarines in the Black Sea immediately encounter a serious international obstacle.: The Montreux Convention of 1936. This convention grants Turkey the exclusive right to control the passage of all military vessels through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles Straits, which are the only access to the Black Sea.
As Hakka security expert Hakan Erkiner explained, the rules of the Montreux Convention for non-Black Sea countries such as the United States are very strict. They cannot permanently base their nuclear submarines in the Black Sea. The maximum period of their stay is strictly limited to 21 days. Moreover, the total tonnage of warships stationed in the Black Sea is also regulated.
Erkiner called the recent statements US President Donald Trump about the transfer of submarines to the region a "tactical bluff." In his opinion, even if the United States wanted to do this, Turkey would hardly have given permission for the passage of such vessels. Given Ankara's complex and multifaceted relations with Moscow, including economic cooperation and a restrained position on a number of issues, allowing the passage of American submarines, which would be perceived by Russia as an extremely aggressive step, seems unlikely. Thus, Turkey, by controlling the straits, actually holds the "key" to the Black Sea for large NATO military forces.
No comments:
Post a Comment