Treaty of Lausanne

Explanation and Analysis of the Document

The Treaty of Lausanne was signed at Lausanne, Switzerland, on July 24, 1923, and deposited in the archives of the government of the French Republic. It was signed by Horace Rumbold, Maurice Pelle, Camillo Garroni, Giulio Cesare Montagna, Kentaro Otchiai, Eleuthérios K. Venizélos, Demetrios Caclamanos, Constantine Diamandy, Constantine Contzesco, Ismet Pasa, Riza Nour Bey, and Hassan Bey. The treaty consists of 143 articles divided into five parts, with each part divided into a number of sections. A number of conventions, agreements, and protocols are annexed to the treaty, including separate peace treaties with Greece, England, Italy, Japan, Romania, and France. The treaty opens with an expression of the desire to bring to a final close the state of war which has existed in the East since 1914. It continues with an expression of anxiety to reestablish relations of friendship and commerce and considers that these relations must be based on respect for the independence and sovereignty of the states involved. The expressions of the desire for peace, friendship, and respect for independence were very important for Turkey, as they show that Turkey has been treated as equal and that the terms of the treaty were negotiated among equals, not imposed.

Part I

Part I of the treaty includes three sections, on territorial clauses, nationality, and the protection of minorities. Section I, concerning territorial issues, draws the boundaries of Turkey with the surrounding countries. The boundaries were essentially those demanded by the Turks, except that around Mosul. Turkey insisted that this region was included in the National Pact (a resolution, dated 1920, stating the goals of independence of Turkey and forming the basis of the negotiating position of Turkey) and was overwhelmingly inhabited by Turks; therefore, it should belong to Turkey. However, Britain was not ready to relinquish the oil-rich area. The problem of Mosul was not resolved during the conference negotiations and was left to further negotiations between Britain and Turkey, to be held within nine months of the signing of the treaty. Mosul eventually became a part of Iraq.

The border with Greece was resolved by acceptance of the Turkish proposal to draw the boundary at the deepest point in the middle of the Maritsa (or Maritza) River. In return, Turkey agreed that the island of Castellorizzo (Kastellórizon) would go to Italy. Western Thrace remained in Greece on the condition of respect for the rights and freedoms of the Turkish minority living there.

The border with Syria remained as described in the Franco-Turkish Agreement of October 20, 1921. Antakya (formerly Antioch) and Iskenderun (formerly Alexandretta), which were acquired by Turkey in 1938 after the withdrawal of France from Syria, would remain in Syria. The islands of Imbros (now Gökçeada) and Tenedos (now Bozcaada) and the Rabbit Islands would belong to Turkey, while the islands of Lemnos, Samothrace, Mytilene, Chios, Sámos, and Ikaria (or Nikaria) would belong to Greece. Turkey's complete control of the straits was recognized, but it had to demilitarize the zone around the straits and establish an international commission to supervise the transmission of ships. Thus, Soviet control of the straits was avoided.

As to population issues, to minimize minority problems in a nation state, the Turks and Greeks agreed to exchange the Greeks living in Anatolia with the Turks living in Greece. Only Greeks of Constantinople and the Turks of Western Thrace were excepted from the population exchange.

As to the protection of minorities, Turkish nationals belonging to non-Muslim minorities were not granted any privileges; they were to enjoy the same treatment and security as other Turkish nationals. They would have equal right to establish charitable, religious, and social institutions and schools for education. They would have the right to use their own languages and to exercise their own religions freely. The Allies did not ask for any war reparations. Greece did not pay any compensation but instead gave Karaagaç to Turkey.

Part II

Part II of the treaty is concerned with financial issues and is divided into two sections, the first covering the Ottoman public debt and the second containing miscellaneous clauses. The Ottoman public debt was the main financial problem of the treaty negotiations. The Allies agreed that Turkey would have to pay only its portion of the debt; the former Ottoman territories would pay their shares as well. The Turks won the right to have their debt set in francs, regardless of its value in gold. Among the miscellaneous clauses, capitulations, which were the trade concessions given to European countries during the Ottoman Empire, were abolished completely. Another clause is concerned with the foreign concessions within Turkey awarded by the Ottoman Empire. The Allies insisted that these concessions had to be recognized by Turkey, too. It was finally agreed that some payment would be made for the loss of the concessions and that Turkey would award future concessions to whomever it wanted.

Part III

Part III concerns economic issues, with Section I covering property, rights, and interests and Section II taking up contracts, prescriptions, and judgments. According to the treaty, all property, rights, and interests that still existed and could be identified in territories detached from the Ottoman Empire after the Balkan Wars as belonging to Turkish nationals were to be immediately restored to the owners. This part of the treaty also includes clauses concerning life, marine, fire, and other kinds of insurances; debt; industrial, literary, and artistic property rights; arbitral tribunals; and established treaties.

Part IV

Part IV is divided into two sections, on communications and sanitary questions. According to the articles concerning communications, Turkey would adhere to the freedom of transit statute laid by the Conference of Barcelona, dated April 14, 1921. Turkey was also to adhere to the recommendations of that conference dated April 19, 1921, concerning ports and railways. In this part of the agreement, foreign post offices in Turkey were abolished. Concerning sanitary questions, the Superior Council of Health in Constantinople was to be abolished, and Turkey was entrusted with the sanitary organization of the coasts and frontiers of Turkey. Pilgrimages to Jerusalem and Hejaz (or Hedjaz) were to be supervised by Turkey and the interested states, and appropriate measures were to be taken in accordance with the provisions of international sanitary conventions.

Part V

Part V includes three sections, covering prisoners of war, graves, and general provisions. Both sides agreed to repatriate at once the prisoners of war and interned civilians still in their hands. The states would respect and maintain the cemeteries, graves, and memorials of soldiers and sailors killed in action since October 29, 1914, within their territories. The general provisions are concerned with the property, rights, and interests of the people concerned, as well as archives, registers, title deeds, and other documents and judicial matters.