/ world today news/ We all hope that the war in Ukraine will soon end. But there is a danger that the active part of the conflict will spread to the Black Sea region and involve Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey. Is this a possible scenario. What do the analyzes of the rulers in Turkey show against the background of the calls of some politicians for the revision of the Montreux Convention. These were some of the topics that Elena Yoncheva from the group of socialists and democrats in the European Parliament put up for discussion during the meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey Hakan Fidan in Ankara.
The conversation was behind closed doors, but the MEP noted that the response was extremely satisfactory.
The 1936 Montreux Convention empowered Turkey to regulate the passage of non-Black Sea naval vessels through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles. In the event of a military conflict, Ankara has the right to close the sea lanes. In peacetime, according to the Convention, there are restrictions on the type and duration of stay of warships in the Black Sea.
In March this year In the US Congress, two bills were introduced that relate to security in the Black Sea. Their main goal is to push President Joe Biden’s administration to craft a comprehensive US strategy for the region. Establish a permanent military presence on NATO’s eastern flank and a regular naval presence in the Black Sea on a rotating basis, as well as provide defense support to regional partners, according to US interests and values. It is recommended that the future strategy include a plan to promote greater freedom of navigation to allow greater security and economic access to the Black Sea.
Minister Fidan and I had a very interesting conversation on issues related to EU enlargement, visa policy, protection of human rights, and Turkey’s foreign policy. Ankara adheres to a pro-Ukrainian policy without turning it into an anti-Russian one. Turkey was a mediator to resolve the conflict, with the first talks taking place in Istanbul as early as March 2022. It helped conclude the so-called “grain deal”. At the same time, Turkey is an important geopolitical factor, controlling the Turkish Straits, Elena Yoncheva said. She was in Ankara for the 80th meeting of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee.
The committee is meeting for the first time in Ankara in the last five years. The meeting was supposed to take place in the spring of this year, but due to the strong earthquake in Turkey, it was postponed.
The Committee stressed the importance of strengthening the dialogue between Turkey, which is a candidate country, and the EU in all areas, and expressed appreciation for the resumption of regular meetings. Members confirmed the need to find common solutions to challenges with a special emphasis on the rule of law and democracy, the economy, security and defence, and energy and food security, especially in the context of the war in Ukraine.
They called for the initiation of a process leading to a just and lasting peace between Palestine and Israel based on a two-state solution, as well as an immediate cessation of hostilities and the avoidance of civilian casualties on both sides.
To contact the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the EP:
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