Treaty of Lausanne
The Treaty of Lausanne was a peace agreement signed on July 24, 1923, in the Swiss city of Lausanne, officially concluding the conflicts that had arisen from the World War I in the Middle East and Asia Minor. This treaty replaced the earlier Treaty of Sèvres, which had been rejected by the Government of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.
Background
Following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire after World War I, the Allied Powers imposed the Treaty of Sèvres in 1920. However, this treaty was not accepted by the Turkish National Movement led by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who had started a war of independence against both the Allies and the remnants of the Ottoman government.
Terms of the Treaty
- Borders: The treaty defined the modern borders of Turkey, recognizing its full sovereignty within these borders. It also delineated the boundaries with Syria, Iraq, and Greece.
- Population Exchange: It included provisions for a compulsory population exchange between Greece and Turkey, involving approximately 1.5 million Greek Orthodox Christians from Turkey and 500,000 Muslims from Greece.
- Military Restrictions: Turkey was to demilitarize certain zones, particularly the Straits Commission area, which was to be managed by an international commission.
- Minority Rights: The treaty protected the rights of religious minorities in Turkey, but did not include provisions for the protection of the Armenian population, which was a significant departure from the Treaty of Sèvres.
- Capitulations: All previous capitulations and extraterritorial rights in Turkey were abolished.
- Finances: Turkey was relieved from many of the financial obligations imposed by the Treaty of Sèvres.
Significance
The Treaty of Lausanne was pivotal because it:
- Marked the international recognition of the Republic of Turkey as a successor state to the Ottoman Empire.
- Significantly altered the political landscape of the Middle East by formalizing new national boundaries.
- Ended the Greco-Turkish War and the conflict between Turkey and the Allies.
- Influenced the geopolitical situation in the region for decades, particularly in relation to the status of Kurdistan and the Turkish-Syrian border.
Legacy
The treaty is often cited in discussions regarding the rights of minorities and the treatment of refugees. It has also been a point of contention in modern Turkish-Greek Relations due to the unresolved issues from the population exchange and border disputes.
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