The Turkish Straits are one of the most significant waterways in the world. The straits serve as a link between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, connecting Europe and Asia. The Straits have been a crucial passage for trade and commerce for centuries. However, their strategic location also makes them a potential chokepoint in times of war or conflict. The legal and political status of the Turkish Straits has been a subject of concern for many countries, especially those that rely on these waterways for their trade and security. In an attempt to regulate the legal and political status of the Turkish Straits, which has been a topic of discussion and debate for many years, international treaties and agreements have been used to establish an agreed regime among states. The aim of this book is to provide an overview of the legal and political status of the Turkish Straits. The book analyzes the various international treaties and conventions that regulate the use of the straits and their implications for the parties involved.

The right of transit passage in straits and the analogous right of archipelagic sealanes passage in archipelagic states, negotiated in the 1970s and embodied in the 1982 UNCLOS, sought to approximate the freedom of navigation and overflight while expressly recognising the sovereignty or jurisdiction of the coastal state over the waters concerned. However, the allocation of rights and duties of the coastal state and third states is open to interpretation. Recent developments in state practice, such as Australia's requirement of compulsory pilotage in the Torres Strait, the bridge across the Great Belt and the proposals for a bridge across the Strait of Messina, the enhanced environmental standards applicable in the Strait of Bonifacio and Canada's claims over the Arctic Route, make it necessary to reassess the whole common law of straits. The Legal Regime of Straits examines the complex relationship between the coastal state and the international community.

This title is designed for law of the sea and maritime law specialists. The coverage includes current affairs in martime law such as submarine cables, polar areas, environmental protection, sovereign immunity and sunken ships, and maritime law enforcement.