The Montreux Convention refers to an agreement concluded by a number of countries in 1936. In accordance with it, Turkey gained full control over the Bosphorus and Dardanelles. The convention owes its name to the Swiss city of Montreux, in which it was signed. The agreement guarantees the free passage of civilian vessels through the Black Sea straits in peacetime. Moreover, the Montreux Convention imposes certain restrictions on the movement of warships. First of all, they concern non-Black Sea states.
The provisions of the convention have for many years been the cause of controversy and controversy. They were mainly related to the access of the Soviet Navy to the Mediterranean Sea. Subsequently, some amendments were made to this international agreement, but it still remains in force.
Lausanne Conference
The 1936 Montreux Convention was the logical conclusion of a series of treaties designed to resolve the so-called "issue of the straits." The essence of this long-standing problem was the lack of international consensus on which country should control the strategically important routes from the Black to the Mediterranean Sea. In 1923, an agreement was signed in Lausanne that demilitarized the Dardanelles and ensured the free transit of civil and military courts under the supervision of the League of Nations.
Preconditions for concluding a new contract
The establishment of a fascist regime in Italy seriously complicated the situation. Turkey feared Mussolini’s attempts to use access to the straits to extend his power to the entire Black Sea region. First of all, Anatolia could be subjected to aggression from Italy.
The Turkish government appealed to the countries participating in the signing of the agreement in Lausanne with a proposal to hold a conference to discuss the new regime of passage of ships through the straits. The need for this step was explained by strong changes in the international situation. Due to Germany's denunciation of the Treaty of Versailles, tensions in Europe grew. Many countries were interested in creating security guarantees for strategically important straits.
The participants in the Lausanne Conference responded to the call of Turkey and decided to gather in the Swiss city of Montreux to reach a new agreement. Only Italy was not represented in the negotiations. This fact has a simple explanation: it was her expansionist policy that became one of the reasons for organizing this conference.
Discussion progress
Turkey, Great Britain and the Soviet Union put forward proposals aimed at protecting their own interests. The United Kingdom advocated maintaining most of the bans. The Soviet Union supported the idea of absolutely free passage. Turkey called for liberalization of the regime, thus seeking to regain control of the straits. Great Britain tried to prevent the presence of the Soviet navy in the Mediterranean Sea , which could pose a threat to the vital routes connecting the metropolis with India.
Ratification
After lengthy debate, the United Kingdom agreed to make concessions. The Soviet Union managed to remove some restrictions on the passage through the straits of warships from the Black Sea states. Britain's complaisance was caused by the desire to prevent Turkey from becoming an ally of Hitler or Mussolini. The Montreux Convention on the Black Sea was ratified by all participants in the conference. The document entered into force in November 1936.
Key Points
The text of the Montreux Convention is divided into 29 articles. The agreement guarantees merchant ships of any state absolute freedom of navigation in the straits in peacetime. The League of Nations Commission responsible for enforcing the Lausanne Treaty has been abolished. Turkey gained the right to take control of the straits and close them to all foreign military courts in the event of an armed conflict.
Bans
The Montreux Convention imposes a number of specific restrictions on the class and tonnage of military courts. Non-Black Sea countries have the right to navigate through the straits only small surface ships. Their total tonnage should not exceed 30,000 tons. The maximum period of stay in the waters of vessels of non-Black Sea powers is 21 days.
The convention allows Turkey to prohibit or permit navigation at its discretion if its government considers that the country is at risk of war. In accordance with paragraph 5 of the Montreux Convention, restrictions may affect the courts of any state.
Privilege
The Black Sea states have the right to navigate through the straits warships of any class and tonnage. A prerequisite for this is prior notification of the Turkish government. Article 15 of the Montreux Convention also provides for these countries the possibility of transit of submarines.
The Montreux Convention on the Status of Straits reflected the international situation of the 30s of the last century. Granting broader rights to the Black Sea powers was a concession to Turkey and the Soviet Union. Only these two countries possessed a significant number of large military vessels in the region.
Effects
The Montreux Convention on the Straits influenced the course of World War II. It severely limited the possibility of deploying hostilities in the Black Sea for fascist Germany and its allies. They were forced to arm their merchant ships and try to lead them through the straits. This led to serious diplomatic friction between Turkey and Germany. Repeated protests by the Soviet Union and Great Britain pushed Ankara to completely ban the movement of any suspicious vessels in the straits.
Controversial point
The Turkish government claims that the convention does not allow passage through the straits of aircraft carriers. But in reality, the document does not explicitly mention this. The Convention sets a limit of 15,000 tons for a single ship of a non-Black Sea power. The tonnage of any modern aircraft carrier exceeds this value. This provision of the convention actually prohibits non-Black Sea states from navigating ships of this type through the straits.
The definition of an aircraft carrier in the text of the agreement was formulated in the 30s of the last century. In those days, ship planes were used primarily for reconnaissance from the air. The convention states that the presence of a deck designed for takeoff and landing of aircraft does not automatically classify a ship as an aircraft carrier.
The Black Sea states have the right to navigate through the straits warships of any tonnage. However, the annex to the convention explicitly excludes from their number ships designed primarily for the transport of naval aviation.
Workaround
The Soviet Union has found a way to overcome this ban. The way out was the creation of the so-called aircraft - carrying cruisers. These ships were equipped with sea-based ballistic missiles. The presence of strike weapons formally did not allow classifying them as aircraft carriers. As a rule, large-caliber missiles were placed on cruisers.
This enabled the Soviet Union to freely carry its aircraft carriers through the straits in full compliance with the provisions of the convention. The passage remained banned for NATO class ships of this class, the tonnage of which exceeded 15,000 tons. Turkey preferred to recognize the Soviet Union’s right to transit aircraft carrying cruisers. Revision of the convention was not in Ankara’s interests, since it could lower the degree of its control over the straits.
Amendment Attempts
Currently, most of the provisions of the international treaty remain in force. However, the convention regularly causes fierce disputes and disagreements. Periodically, attempts are being made to return to the discussion of the status of the straits.
After the end of World War II, the Soviet Union turned to Turkey with a proposal to establish joint control over access from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. Ankara responded with a firm refusal. Serious pressure from the Soviet Union could not force her to change her position. The tension in relations with Moscow caused Turkey to cease its policy of neutrality. Ankara was forced to seek allies in the person of Great Britain and the USA.
Violations
The Convention prohibits warships of non-Black Sea states from having artillery on board whose caliber exceeds 203 mm. In the 60s of the last century, US naval vessels equipped with anti-submarine missiles passed through the straits. This caused protests from the Soviet Union, since the caliber of this weapon was 420 mm.
However, Turkey stated no violation of the Montreux Convention. According to her government, ballistic missiles are not artillery and are not subject to the treaty. Over the past decade, US warships have repeatedly violated the maximum stay in the Black Sea, but Turkey did not recognize cases of violation of the convention.