U.S. presses Turkey to allow NATO forces' deployment to Black Sea

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan attended the meeting of 26 NATO foreign ministers that met in Brussels on Tuesday. The members are expected to reaffirm their support for Georgia and send a strong message to Russia without freezing out Moscow diplomatically.  Â

Turkey has long opposed to the deployment of NATO navy forces on the Black Sea, saying the region is safe and the Blackseafor's, which was formed by the contribution of the surrounding countries, patrol mission is sufficient.

Diplomatic sources, however, told hurriyet.com.tr that the clashes between Georgia and Russia had weakened Turkey's thesis, prompting the U.S. to relaunch its bid for deployment of NATO forces on the Black Sea.

The deployment of NATO forces in the Black Sea would breach the Montreux Agreement, which limits the total weight of the warships that a country who does not have border with the Black Sea can deploy to 45,000 tons.Â

The Bosphorus Straits are considered one of the most strategic waterways of the world and located within Turkey’s territorial waters. The Montreux Convention, reinstating its sovereignty over the strategic Turkish Straits, and regulating navigation through them, was signed in 1936.