Caspian Report - Issue: 07 - Spring 2014

FatIh Ozbay
120
these two countries become the parties
of an intense discussion about
Montreux while they were definitely
on good terms in this regard until
five years ago We can find the answer
in the traditional attitude of
Russia; it prefers to achieve its interests
with bilateral or multilateral
relations when it feels weak, and it
prefers unilateral policies when it
feels strong. Russia, which gained
its self-confidence with economic
and political steps taken by the Putin
government in domestic and foreign
policy, pushed its limited for the first
time in the 2008 War and became
stronger with the policies it adopted
about Syria. Then, it has become
even tougher and stronger both on
the basis of action and discourse by
annexing Crimea from Ukraine. Besides,
Russia renewed and strengthened
its Black Sea fleet in this period.
Ukraine-centered developments in
the region have brought the world
to the brink of a huge crisis for the
first time in the post-Cold War era.
Moscow believed that its red lines
were violated when the government
fell with pro-EU protests began in
Kiev streets after the suspension
of Ukraine-EU negotiations by pro-
Russian Yanukovych administration.
After that, Moscow’s Ukraine
policy unexpectedly changed. The
existence of Russian military in the
Ukraine border, then Ukrainian autonomous
republic Crimea’s joining
Russia via independence and referendum,
and now the turmoil caused
by pro-Russians living in the Eastern
part of Ukraine have raised the temperature
in Black Sea waters.
In this process, the presence of US
ships in the Black Sea has started
to disturb Moscow to a great extent.
Russia claimed that US warships extended
their duration of stay in the
Black Sea by violating the Montreux
clauses two times on April 3, 2014.
In the last declaration made by the
Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
on April 10, it was indicated that
Ukraine-centered developments in the
region have brought the world to the brink
of a huge crisis for the first time in the post-
Cold War era.
“USS Taylor” named warship of the
USA stayed in the Black Sea for more
than 21 days. In the declaration, it
was noted that “USS Taylor” sailed
into the Black Sea on February 5,
but left on March 9. Thus, US warship
had stayed in the Black Sea for
11 days more than allowed in the
Montreux Convention. USS Taylor
warship entered the Black Sea for
ensuring security during the Sochi
Olympics, but then its propeller
broke when it came into the Samsun
Harbor for refueling. In other words,
USS Taylor warship came to ensure
the security of the Olympics, not to
help Ukraine, and Russia did not object
to the entry of the ship. Russia
must be definitely informed about
the ship’s 11-day late exit because
of the accident. However, Russia
claimed that they were not informed
about this event. Turkish Ministry of
Foreign Affairs made a declaration
on April 12 as an answer to Russia,
stated that the Russian Federation
and other parties of the Montreux
Convention were all informed, and
determinately refused the claims
about violation of Montreux.