Ankara summons Russian envoy over ‘provocative’ passing of Russian ship through Bosphorus

Sevil Erkuş - ANKARA

REUTERS photo

The Turkish Foreign Ministry summoned Russian ambassador in Ankara Andey Karlov on Dec. 7 in protest of the “provocative” passage of a Russian warship through Istanbul’s Bosphorus Strait.

In his meeting with General Director Burak Özügergin, Ankara warned the Russian envoy over such “provocative acts,” according to Turkish diplomatic sources. 

Ankara presented photos of the Russian soldier on the “Caesar Kunikov” ship and stressed the Turkish public was uneasy over the footage, and there was a feeling the people’s security was threatened. 

The passage threatens the security of a coastal country, the ministry said, adding Russia should respect the security needs of a coastal country according to the Montreux Convention.

Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu also called on Russia to end the “provocative” passage of Russian warships through the Bosphorus after photos emerged of a Russian soldier holding a surface-to-air missile launcher on his shoulder in the firing position aboard Russia’s “Caesar Kunikov” vessel. 

Turkey has not blocked any Russian ships passing through the Bosphorus and Ankara has entirely obeyed the Montreux Convention, the minister said on Dec. 7, speaking in a televised interview. 

“We implemented the Monteux [Convention] in both the passing of vessels and in ships that have to be stopped. Therefore Russia should give up provocative acts,” he said. 

The Russian warship on which the soldier was seen holding the surface-to-air missile in a firing position passed through Istanbul’s Bosphorus en route to the Mediterranean Sea on the morning of Dec. 6.