ISTANBUL, Apr 11 : Two U.S. warships will pass through Turkey’s straits to the Black Sea next week, a Turkish foreign ministry official said on Sunday.

“A notice was sent to us 15 days ago through diplomatic channels that two U.S. warships would pass toward the Black Sea in line with the Montreux Convention,” the official noted in a written statement.

“According to the information we have got, the ships would go to the Black Sea separately on April 14 and 15,” it added, saying that the vessels are expected to return on May 4 and 5.

The 1936 Montreux Convention, which gives Turkey control over the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits, restricts the access of warships and guarantees the free passage of civilian vessels.