USS Mount Whitney deploys in Poti port

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USS Mount Whitney deployed in Georgian port of Poti. The military command and control ship did not deploy in Batumi port, as was initially suggested, for Poti was in the zone of Russia's special attention, so Mount Whitney changed course to Poti, sources in the Russian Black Sea Fleet said.

Russian Foreign Ministry's Spokesman Andrey Nesterenko pointed out Sep 5 that Mount Whitney was equipped with the most advanced systems of communications coordination and reconnaissance. Nesterenko said that her deployment in the Black Sea violates Montreux Convention concerning the maximal tonnage of ships in the Black Sea water zone. Besides, the nature of the cargo it carries is not transparent. The issue, according to Nesterenko, has to be discussed at the UN and is a reason of concern for countries signatories to the Convention.

Worthy of note: overall, six NATO warships are now deployed in the Black Sea water zone, allegedly on a humanitarian mission. They are three ships of US Navy, one of Spain, one of Germany, and one of Poland. Late Sep 2, 2008, US Navy ship Pathfinder anchored in Sevastopol.