Turkey will continue enforcing Montreux Convention, mediating between Russia, Ukraine, says NSC
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The National Security Council convened today (March 23) under the chairpersonship of President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Releasing a statement after the meeting, the council said, "Turkey will continue its mediation and facilitation efforts besides implementing the Montreux Convention to maintain peace and stability in the Black Sea."
The council asserted that the latest developments in the Black Sea proved that Ankara was right in its "balanced position and efforts for global and regional peace."
Turkey will increase its efforts for a permanent solution to the issues between Russia and Ukraine with Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity respected.
After the beginning of Russia's war on Ukraine in late February, Turkey had declared that it would implement the Montreux Convention on the regime of the Turkish Straits.
In accordance with the convention, Russia had withdrawn a request for the passage of its ships not belonging to its Black Sea fleet through the straits, upon Ankara's request.
Russia's invasion of UkraineOn February 24, explosions were reported in several Ukrainian provinces, including the capital Kyiv, after Russia's President Vladimir Putin announced a 'special military operation' in the Donbas region. Tensions had started escalating late last year when Ukraine, the US and its allies accused Russia of amassing tens of thousands of troops on the border with Ukraine. They claimed Russia was preparing to invade its western neighbor, which was consistently rejected by Moscow. Defying threats of sanctions by the West, Moscow officially recognized Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states in late February, followed by the start of the invasion of Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin said the operation aims to protect people "subjected to genocide" by Kyiv and to "demilitarize and de-Nazify" Ukraine, while calling on the Ukrainian army to lay down its arms. At least 925 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since the start of the war, while nearly 1,500 others have been injured, according to the UN estimates. |
(AEK/VK)