Pentagon Will Not Confirm Reports Of US Navy Deployment To Black Sea Next Week - Spokesman

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th April, 2021) The US Defense Department declined to comment on the reported US navy deployment to the Black Sea next week, Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said in a press briefing on Friday.

Earlier in the day, a Turkish Foreign Ministry source told Sputnik two warships would pass through the Bosphorus to the Black Sea on April 14-15 and return on May 4 and 5.

"We routinely operate and conduct our operations in the Black Sea and throughout the European Command AOR, and as you also know, I am not going to forecast or speak about hypotheticals or about future operations. This is a normal evolution for the United States military and we obviously coordinate the entry into the Black Sea through the Montreux Convention with Turkey " Kirby said. "I won't speak to the press report that you are referring to specifically... I am not going to confirm the Turkey press reports that you are referring to."

Two US warships, destroyers Roosevelt and Donald Cook, will pass through the Bosphorus into the Black Sea on April 14-15 amid the escalation of tensions between Russia and Ukraine, Turkish broadcaster NTV reported on Friday.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told Sputnik the increased activity of NATO in the Black Sea complicates the security situation in the region.

Answering about contacts between Moscow and Ankara in connection with the passage of US ships into the Black Sea, the diplomat noted that "there are relevant mechanisms for notification."

The United States is obligated to notify Turkey about the passage of its warships through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles, in accordance with the Montreux Convention.

The Montreux Convention, adopted in 1936, preserves the freedom of passage through the straits for merchant ships of all countries, both in peacetime and in wartime. However, the regime of passage of warships is different in relation to the Black Sea and non-Black Sea states. Warships of countries that do not have access to the Black Sea can stay in its water area for no more than 21 days, and significant restrictions on the class and tonnage of the vessels are in force.

The total tonnage of warships and vessels of non-Black Sea states simultaneously staying in the Black Sea should not exceed 45,000 tonnes, and there is a 30,000-tonne limit for any one non-Black Sea country. USS Roosevelt has a displacement of 6,950 tonnes (normal) and 9,648 tonnes (full), USS Donald Cook � 6,783 and 8,915 tonnes, respectively.