The Dardanelles Straits , the Sea of Marmara and the Bosphorus come under the free navigation status as provided for in the 1936 Montreux Convention. In spite of her contractual obligations Turkey is trying to unilaterally regulate the navigation status of the Straits (1994 and 1998 Turkish regulations and restrictive measures on free navigation, November 2002) and to internationally impose a different name (Turkish Straits /Cannakale Straits, Marmara Sea, Istanbul Straits) to the one used in the Montreux Convention.

Greece does not doubt the fact that increased shipping in the Straits creates problems and constitutes a danger to the area, but considers that under no pretext should the Montreux Convention and free navigation in the Straits be affected.  It also goes without saying that under no circumstances should unilateral Turkish action (regulations on navigation in the Straits) be allowed to abolish or replace international agreements, such as the Montreux Convention.

On the issue of the name of the Straits, Greeces position is that the terms used in the Montreux Convention, i.e. the Straits of Dardanelles, Sea of Marmara and Bosphorus or simply Straits should be used and respected by all, including Turkey.  Greeces objection is not restricted only to the semantics of the issue.  It pertains also to the efforts, through the term Turkish Straits to indirectly legalize illegal Turkish Regulations on issues of navigation in the Straits and limiting the validity of the Montreux Convention and the international guarantees on free navigation in the Straits which it decrees.