Turkey does not share US plans to deploy NATO forces in the Black Sea to deter Russia, according to an interview with Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar to the Hurriyet newspaper. It is known that these plans, announced last year by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, affect Bulgaria and Romania, along with Turkey.
“We are telling Romania and Bulgaria not to act hastily,” Hulusi Akar said in response to a question from the newspaper about Ankara’s attitude to the initiative. Hurriyet notes with this diplomatic response that Akar has made it clear that Turkey has a negative attitude towards it.
“By acting through diplomacy outside the Montreux Convention, Turkey is trying to persuade NATO allies to stay away from the Black Sea,” the newspaper was quoted as saying by TASS.
Turkey seeks to protect its NATO allies from misunderstandings in the Black Sea, the minister said in an interview.
“The entry and exit of NATO allies in the Black Sea will also create heightened sensitivity. We have proposals to maintain stability in the Black Sea. We urge you not to get excited, not to panic. Incorrect information can lead to misunderstandings. Let us respect the borders and sovereignty of Ukraine, let us not provoke misunderstandings that can be perceived as a provocation. We say that whatever your intentions, the other side will accept this as a provocation, “the minister stressed.
Asked if there are now warships of countries that are not coastal in the Black Sea, Akar said that there are no such ships. “We want to ensure that the principle of regional property is not violated, that the relevant rights of coastal states are not violated. If the balances are upset here, events are likely to spiral out of control. There is no need to immerse the Black Sea in an atmosphere of competition, “he said.
On March 2, Ankara officially informed Russia and Ukraine that Turkey would implement Article 19 of the Montreux Convention for the passage of warships through the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu added that Ankara has warned all coastal and non-coastal countries not to allow warships through the straits.
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