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Turkey says it cannot stop returning Russian warships from accessing Black Sea

Turkey to implement pact limiting Russian warships to Black Sea​

Reuters



Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu attends a news conference with Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib in Beirut, Lebanon November 16, 2021. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir/File photo

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu attends a news conference with Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib in Beirut, Lebanon November 16, 2021. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir/File photo

ISTANBUL, Feb 27 (Reuters) - NATO member Turkey changed its rhetoric to call Russia's assault on Ukraine a "war" on Sunday and pledged to implement parts of an international pact that would potentially limit the transit of Russian warships from the Mediterranean to the Black Sea.

Kyiv had appealed to Ankara to block any more Russian ships from entering the Black Sea, from which Moscow launched an incursion on Ukraine's southern coast. At least six Russian warships and a submarine transited Turkey's straits this month.

"It is not a couple of air strikes now, the situation in Ukraine is officially a war... We will implement the Montreux Convention," Mevlut Cavusoglu, Turkey's foreign minister, said in an interview with broadcaster CNN Turk.

Balancing its Western commitments and close ties to Moscow, Ankara has in recent days called the Russian attack unacceptable but until Sunday had not described the situation in Ukraine as a war. read more

The rhetorical shift allows Turkey to enact the articles of the 1936 Montreux Convention that permits it to limit naval transit of its Dardanelles and Bosphorus straits during wartime, or if threatened. read more

Yet Cavusoglu reiterated that Turkey cannot block all Russian warships accessing the Black Sea due to a clause in the pact exempting those returning to their registered base.
"There should not be any abuse of this exemption. Ships that declare returning to their bases and passing through the straits should not be involved in the war," Cavusoglu said.

Turkey has good ties with Russia and Ukraine. Even as NATO members have hit Moscow with sanctions, any step too far by Ankara could harm its heavy Russian energy imports, trade and tourism sector at a time of domestic economic turmoil.

Cavusoglu also said he spoke to both Ukrainian and Russian counterparts and was pleased to hear that two countries will hold negotiations.

Ibrahim Kalin, spokesperson for President Tayyip Erdogan, said earlier on Sunday: "On the fourth day of the Ukraine war, we repeat President Erdogan's call for an immediate halt of Russian attacks and the start of ceasefire negotiations".

Reporting by Ezgi Erkoyun and Tuvan Gumrukcu; Writing by Jonathan Spicer; Editing by Alison Williams

 
Turkey must not take sides in this conflict. i guarantee you when the time come nato will leave turkey alone.
 
turkey will take advantages from the conflicts temporarily but eventually russia might take control of istanbul for her black sea fleet
nato is the most untrustworthy alliance. they don't care about turkey at all. nato is an unholy alliance of former white supremacists colonial powers and all they care about is world domination by any means necessary.
 
We ARE neutral. Ukraine is not our enemy remember? Never understood where some of you guys always think that we jump bandwagons.

Turkey is a part of NATO; a committed alliance that stands with the US as Allies. Same for Greece. India is NOT a part of NATO.

See the difference?



Big words coming from you mate. I don't see you sticking to allies either in the last 7 decades, changing sides from Iranians, to Arabs to Turks in regional geopolitics then from US to China in the last 10 decades.
LOL, That's as a result of how many times our, US and world politics has changed. The world is a dynamic place but India is a historically treacherous place.

Turkey to implement pact limiting Russian warships to Black Sea​

Reuters



Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu attends a news conference with Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib in Beirut, Lebanon November 16, 2021. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir/File photo

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu attends a news conference with Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib in Beirut, Lebanon November 16, 2021. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir/File photo

ISTANBUL, Feb 27 (Reuters) - NATO member Turkey changed its rhetoric to call Russia's assault on Ukraine a "war" on Sunday and pledged to implement parts of an international pact that would potentially limit the transit of Russian warships from the Mediterranean to the Black Sea.

Kyiv had appealed to Ankara to block any more Russian ships from entering the Black Sea, from which Moscow launched an incursion on Ukraine's southern coast. At least six Russian warships and a submarine transited Turkey's straits this month.

"It is not a couple of air strikes now, the situation in Ukraine is officially a war... We will implement the Montreux Convention," Mevlut Cavusoglu, Turkey's foreign minister, said in an interview with broadcaster CNN Turk.

Balancing its Western commitments and close ties to Moscow, Ankara has in recent days called the Russian attack unacceptable but until Sunday had not described the situation in Ukraine as a war. read more

The rhetorical shift allows Turkey to enact the articles of the 1936 Montreux Convention that permits it to limit naval transit of its Dardanelles and Bosphorus straits during wartime, or if threatened. read more

Yet Cavusoglu reiterated that Turkey cannot block all Russian warships accessing the Black Sea due to a clause in the pact exempting those returning to their registered base.
"There should not be any abuse of this exemption. Ships that declare returning to their bases and passing through the straits should not be involved in the war," Cavusoglu said.

Turkey has good ties with Russia and Ukraine. Even as NATO members have hit Moscow with sanctions, any step too far by Ankara could harm its heavy Russian energy imports, trade and tourism sector at a time of domestic economic turmoil.

Cavusoglu also said he spoke to both Ukrainian and Russian counterparts and was pleased to hear that two countries will hold negotiations.

Ibrahim Kalin, spokesperson for President Tayyip Erdogan, said earlier on Sunday: "On the fourth day of the Ukraine war, we repeat President Erdogan's call for an immediate halt of Russian attacks and the start of ceasefire negotiations".

Reporting by Ezgi Erkoyun and Tuvan Gumrukcu; Writing by Jonathan Spicer; Editing by Alison Williams

Love the Turks, they are masters of diplomacy.
 
LOL, That's as a result of how many times our, US and world politics has changed. The world is a dynamic place but India is a historically treacherous place.


Love the Turks, they are masters of diplomacy.
However you may disagree, Being Unaligned in a Dynamic system takes gumption.

It might be wiser to pick a camp depending on national priorities. It is practical and pragmatic to be aware of one's strengths and shortcomings and plan accordingly. In that sense GoPs diplomacy is nothing short of brilliant. It fights an enemy far bigger than itself on an equal footing. GoP has historically better strategic relationships with majority of Global powers in multiple camps. All nations will act in their self interest, one cannot shift the blame due to GoP for not extracting the most out of the diplomatic leverage it gained. With aid and friendship come obligations as well, often in direct contrast to national objectives, as you can surely attest.

In similar vein, you cannot be dismissive about the strength it takes to be Non aligned in an increasingly polarised world. Nation states without leverage to do so cannot afford to act independent.
 
turkey will take advantages from the conflicts temporarily but eventually russia might take control of istanbul for her black sea fleet


lol


Russia is not capable to take Ukrain cities but they can take control of Istanbul.....
 
turkey will take advantages from the conflicts temporarily but eventually russia might take control of istanbul for her black sea fleet
negative. Russia has gone out of its way to make an undeclared alliance with the muslim world, a big chunk of the Russian army's soldiers are chechans and their is a strong undeclared ally in Turkey that can effectively render nato toothless against Russia...Russia is the capitol of the Eastern orthodox church and needs this undeclared alliance with the muslim world against what Russia considers as the lbgtq loving satanic west.

turkey will take advantages from the conflicts temporarily but eventually russia might take control of istanbul for her black sea fleet
negative. Russia has gone out of its way to make an undeclared alliance with the muslim world, a big chunk of the Russian army's soldiers are chechans and their is a strong undeclared ally in Turkey that can effectively render nato toothless against Russia...Russia is the capitol of the Eastern orthodox church and needs this undeclared alliance with the muslim world against what Russia considers as the lbgtq loving satanic west.
 
Turkey should deal tactfully. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Turkey should one day allow Russian ships, then next day block them, and on 3rd day allow them again so as to keep US quiet and keep Russia happy for not making Russia provoked simply.
 
Turkey should deal tactfully. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Turkey should one day allow Russian ships, then next day block them, and on 3rd day allow them again so as to keep US quiet and keep Russia happy for not making Russia provoked simply.
Turkey should basically do this...
stop-dontcare.gif
 
Turkiye is in a tough spot, they cannot afford to totally sour relations with Russia. They have to live next to Russia. Any military tension or strained economic ties there isn't going to directly impact the warmongers sitting in UK, France, and USA.
 
''Allies'' of Ukraine like Germany, France are just going to sit there and watch ?
what about some clandestine supply of equipment to the Ukrainians like the Polish ? they need all the help they can get.

Wasn't it Christian countries like Ukraine and Greece and their masters France/Germany that stopped Turkey from accessing E.u finance and e.u economic. Its gone a little foggy but there was some kind e.u economic block on Turkey from 2012 onwards.

Now they are asking Turkey for assistance.
 
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