ISTANBUL, August 11. /TASS/. Turkey’s stance on the application of the Montreux Convention remains firm and unchanged. The nation continues to uphold its commitments to this fundamental treaty governing the Black Sea straits, as confirmed by Huseyin Bagci, head of the Ankara Global Advisory Group, an esteemed analytical center, who spoke to TASS.

"Turkey’s position on compliance with the convention has not wavered since its inception," Bagci emphasized. "We strictly adhere to this document and will maintain this approach in the future. There is no intention to revise this stance."

Similar sentiments were echoed by other local expert circles, who pointed out that following the onset of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, Ankara closed the Black Sea straits to ships from countries involved in the conflict as well as non-littoral states.

"Turkey believes that the security of the Black Sea should be managed by the coastal nations themselves," they noted. "By strictly complying with the Montreux Convention, Turkey aims to prevent any escalation of tensions in this maritime region."

Omer Celik, spokesperson for Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party, previously conveyed that several NATO allies had approached Ankara seeking possible waivers to the convention. However, he reaffirmed that Turkey remains committed to adhering to the treaty, prioritizing navigational safety in the Black Sea.

Signed in 1936, the Montreux Convention governs navigation through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits. According to Article 19, if Turkey is not engaged in a war, the straits are closed to the passage of ships belonging to belligerent or non-coastal states.