Montreux Convention Regarding the Turkish Straits and Its Importance after the South Ossetia War

摘要

The Turkish Straits include the Canakkale (Dardanelles) and Istanbul (Bosporus) Straits and the Marmara (Marmora) Sea between them. The Turkish Straits are the only waterways connecting the Black Sea to the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas and to the oceans through the Suez Canal and the Straits of Gibraltar. Regulation of passage through the Turkish Straits has caused many problems throughout history. Since 1936, passage through the Turkish Straits has been governed by the Montreux Convention. Following the South Ossetia War in August 2008, the Turkish Straits again became problematic when Turkey denied passage to U.S. warships seeking to transit the Straits. This thesis analyzes three key research questions surrounding use of the Straits: Can the Montreux Convention satisfy current requirements. Should the Montreux Convention be revised. If modifications in the Montreux Convention are necessary, what modifications are appropriate, and how might they affect stability in the Black Sea.