“This is just Turkey being Turkey; an unreliable ally since the 1970s.”
Turkey is honoring a senior treaty.
“Turkey is honoring a senior treaty.”
The Montreaux Convention? Britain is not at war. And, unless the minesweepers have 8-inch guns they do not fall under the transit restrictions. Minesweepers are defensive assets, and are an integral part of maintaining freedom of the seas: They serve to safeguard shipping in general.
Per the strict reading of the Convention, the minesweepers are not prohibited from transiting the straits.
HOWEVER, there is a carve-out to the effect that if Turkey believes IT’S interests are at stake, Turkey can unilaterally deny transit on that alone.
So, Turkey is just serving its own interests in this matter, which are not to act in a way that is adverse to Russia’s interests. It’s a win-win for Russia.
The Montreaux Convention? Britain is not at war. And, unless the minesweepers have 8-inch guns they do not fall under the transit restrictions. Minesweepers are defensive assets, and are an integral part of maintaining freedom of the seas: They serve to safeguard shipping in general.
Per the strict reading of the Convention, the minesweepers are not prohibited from transiting the straits.
HOWEVER, there is a carve-out to the effect that if Turkey believes ITS interests are at stake, Turkey can unilaterally deny transit on that alone.
So, Turkey is just serving its own interests in this matter, which are not to act in a way that is adverse to Russia’s interests. It’s a win-win for Russia.