TURKISH COMMANDERS DENY VIOLATING MONTREUX CONVENTION

Anatolia News Agency
Aug 27 2008
Turkey

Ankara, 27 August: The chief of the General Staff, Gen Yasar Buyukanit,
has said, "Current situation in the Black Sea is not against the
Montreux treaty. It is as simple as that."

Responding to questions put by reporters during an official reception
which followed a ceremony held at the headquarters of the Land Forces
Command for the inauguration of the new chief of the Land Forces as to
whether the passage of warships through the Straits was permissible
under the Montreux Convention, Buyukanit said, "Some people write
about the Montreux Convention in spite of the fact that they have
not actually read it. I urge them to read it, for God’s sake. They
are making various allegations about ships. The Montreux Convention
is being strictly implemented. Current situation in the Black Sea is
not against the Montreux treaty. It is as simple as that. But they
imply that the Montreux Convention has been seriously violated. Some
countries are not pleased with the Montreux Convention. This is
unavoidable. But the Montreux Convention is of crucial importance
to us. The Black Sea is the most stable sea in the region. But they
have begun to stir trouble there. I have also emphasized this in
the symposium. They attempt to ascribe all problems in the region,
including those facing Nagorno-Karabakh, Moldova and Armenia to the
Black Sea. Turkey should, therefore, be extremely cautious about the
Black Sea. Stability in the Black Sea should not be undermined."

The chief of the Navy, Adm Metin Atac, for his part, stressed that
the passage of US ships through the Straits was consistent with the
Montreux Convention. He said, "We examined all minute details of the
issue before their passage."