Montreux Convention - Q&A from the press briefing (7 April 2021)

Q : The Turkish plan to build a new canal in Istanbul sparked a debate on the Montreux Convention, which regulates the freedom of movement through the Turkish straits of the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the Montreux Convention does not apply to the Istanbul canal project. But according to the Turkish Foreign Minister, this project doesn’t point to Turkey’s abandonment of the Convention. What is France’s position, as the depositary of this treaty, on the new canal in Istanbul? Do you think the convention could be supplemented, in light of this new Turkish project?

A : We are closely following this issue. As a State party, we reaffirm our commitment to the Montreux Convention Regarding the Regime of the Straits.