Turkey Urges Calm as U.S. and Russia Meet for High-Stakes Talks
Turkey Urges Calm as U.S. and Russia Meet for High-Stakes Talks
(Bloomberg) -- Turkey urged Russia and the West to avoid any provocations as they hold talks over the Russian military buildup on the border with Ukraine, with any conflict likely to roil the Black Sea region on Ankara’s doorstep.
“Let’s not increase the tension, let’s stay away from any provocative move,” Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said over the weekend. “Any sudden movement, along with a non-routine movement, can trigger a chain of events.”
Akar’s warning came ahead of Monday’s critical meeting between U.S. and Russian officials in Geneva to discuss Moscow’s security demands. Turkey’s lira -- which has whipsawed in recent months, fueling inflation and angering voters -- could be hit by a spike in regional tensions as investors gauge risks to direct investment and tourism.
In order to prevent military missteps, Turkey is urging its NATO allies to abide by a 20th-century agreement meant to ensure stability and security in the Black Sea region.
The 1936 Montreux Convention limits deployments in the Black Sea to 21 days for navies not belonging to states bordering the waters, and regulates the number and maximum aggregate tonnage of all foreign naval forces that may pass the Turkish straits. It bars passage of all aircraft carriers.
NATO-member Turkey has no interest in confronting Russia in the event it invades Ukraine, despite growing defense ties cemented by Ankara’s sales of armed drones to Kyiv, a senior Turkish official has previously said.
The reluctance of Turkey, which has the second largest army in NATO after the U.S., to militarily oppose Russia is compatible with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s foreign policy maneuvering. Erdogan wants to preserve Turkey’s interests from Syria to Libya and the Caucasus, flashpoints where Moscow is on the opposite side.
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