Türkiye, Bulgaria, Romania sign deal to combat mine threat in Black Sea

By Muhammed Enes Calli

ISTANBUL (AA) - Türkiye, Bulgaria and Romania on Thursday signed an agreement to jointly tackle the mine threat in the Black Sea amid the Russia-Ukraine War.

Turkish National Defense Minister Yasar Guler, his Romanian counterpart Angel Tilvar, and Bulgarian Deputy Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov joined the signing ceremony in Istanbul, the Turkish National Defense Ministry announced on X.

"We are signing the Black Sea Mine Countermeasures Task Group Agreement (MCM Black Sea) within the framework of the Triple Initiative, initiated under the leadership of our country to address the mine threat in the Black Sea," Guler said during the ceremony.

"With the aim of enhancing our existing close collaboration and coordination for a more effective struggle against the mine threat in the Black Sea, we have jointly decided to establish a protocol among the three countries."

Türkiye expresses great satisfaction in hosting the signing ceremony of this agreement that will contribute to "regional security" and "stability" in the Black Sea, he said.

Türkiye carefully, responsibly, and impartially applies the Montreux Convention, which is crucial for maintaining the balance in the Black Sea and is of great importance for the security of the region, Guler said.

"Following the proposal we presented to our allies Romania and Bulgaria, we embraced a strategic vision," he said.

"Within this framework, we reached an agreement to establish a Mine Countermeasures Task Group against the drifting mine threat in the Black Sea," the Turkish defense minister said.

The cooperation to be established with the Memorandum of Understanding will make "significant" contributions to the safety of navigation in the Black Sea, Guler said.

- NATO welcomes MCM Black Sea

NATO welcomed the MCM Black Sea for demining the Black Sea on Thursday.

"We welcome that Bulgaria, Romania and Türkiye are working together against the threat of mines in the Black Sea," NATO spokesperson Dylan White said on X.

"This is an important contribution toward greater freedom of navigation and food security in the region and beyond," he added.​​​​​​​