Lausanne Peace Treaty
Part I.
Political Clauses
Article 1
From the coming into force of the present
Treaty, the state of peace will be definitely re-established between the
British Empire, France, Italy, Japan, Greece, Roumania and the
Serb-Croat-Slovene State of the one part, and Turkey of the other part, as
well as between their respective nationals.
Official relations will be resumed on both
sides and, in the respective territories, diplomatic and consular
representatives will receive, without prejudice to such agreements as may be
concluded in the future, treatment in accordance with the general principles
of international law.
Section I.
1.Tereitorial Clauses
Article 2.
From the Black Sea to the Aegean the frontier
of Turkey is laid down as follows (see Map No.1).
(1) With Bulgaria:
From the mouth of the River Rezvaya, to the
River Maritza, the point of junction of the three frontiers of Turkey,
Bulgaria and Greece:
the southern frontier of Bulgaria as at
present demarcated;
(2) With Greece:
Thence to the confluence of the Arda and the
Maritza;
Then upstream along the Arda, up to a point
on that river to be determined on the spot in the immediate neighbourhood of
the village of Tchörek-Keuy:
The course of the Arda;
Thence in a south-easterly direction up to a
point on the Maritza, 1 kilom, below Bosna-Keuy:
a roughly straight line leaving in Turkish
territory the village of Bosna-Keuy. The village of Tchörek-Keuy shall be
assigned to Greece or to Turkey according as the majority of the population
shall be found to be Greek or Turkish by the Commission for which provision is
made in Article 5, the population which has migrated into this village after
the 11th October 1922, not being taken into account;
thence to the Aegean Sea:
the course of the Maritza.
Article 3.
From the Mediterranean to the frontier of
Persia, the frontier of Turkey is laid down as follows:
(1) With Syria:
The frontier described in Article 8 of the
Franco-Turkish Agreement of the 20th October, 1921;
(2) With Iraq:
The frontier between Turkey and Iraq shall be
laid down in friendly arrangement to be concluded between Turkey and Great
Britain within nine months.
In the event of no agreement being reached
between the two Governments within the time mentioned, the dispute shall be
referred to the Council of the League of Nations.
The Turkish and British Governments
reciprocally undertake that, pending the decision to be reached on the subject
of the frontier, no military or other movement shall take place which might
modify in any way the present state of the territories of which the final fate
will depend upon that decision.
Article 4
The frontiers described by the present Treaty
are traced on the one in a million maps attached to the present Treaty. In
case of divergence between the text and the map, the text will prevail.
Article 5
A Boundary Commission will be appointed to
trace on the ground the frontier defined in Article 2(2). This Commission will
be composed of representatives of Greece and of Turkey, each Power appointing
one representative, and a president chosen by them from the nationals of a
third Power.
They shall endeavour in all cases to follow
as nearly as possible the descriptions given in the present Treaty, taking
into account as far as possible administrative boundaries and local economic
interests.
The decision of the Commission will be taken
by a majority and shall be binding on the parties concerned.
The expenses of the Commission shall be borne
in equal shares by the parties concerned.
Article 6
In so far as concerns frontiers defined by a
waterway as distinct from its banks, the phrases "course" or
"channel" used in the descriptions of the present Treaty signify, as
regards non-navigable rivers, the median line of the waterway or its principal
branch, and, as regards navigable rivers, the median line of the principal
channel of navigation. It will rest with the Boundary Commission to specify
whether the frontier line shall follow any changes of the course or channel
which may take place, or whether it shall be definitely fixed by the position
of the course or channel at the time when the present Treaty comes into force.
In the absence of provisions to the contrary,
in the present Treaty, islands and islets lying within three miles of the
coast are included within the frontier of the coastal State.
Article 7
The various States concerned undertake to
furnish to the Boundary Commission all documents necessary for its task,
especially authentic copies of agreements fixing existing or old frontiers,
all large scale maps in existence, geodetic data, surveys completed but
unpublished, and information concerning the changes of frontier watercourses.
The maps, geodetic data, and surveys even if unpublished, which are in the
possession of the Turkish authorities, must be delivered at Constantinople
with the least possible delay from the coming into for a of the present Treaty
to the President of the Commission.
The States concerned also undertake to
instruct the local authorities to communicate to the Commission all documents,
especially plans, cadastral and land books, and to furnish on demand all
details regarding property, existing economic conditions and other necessary
information.
Article 8
The various States interested undertake to
give every assistance to the Boundary Commission, whether directly or through
local authorities, in everything that concerns transport, accommodation,
labour, materials (sign posts, boundary pillars) necessary for the
accomplishment of its mission.
In particular, the Turkish Government
undertakes to furnish, if required, the technical personnel necessary to
assist the Boundary Commission in the accomplishment of its duties.
Article 9
The various States interested undertake to
safeguard the trigonometrical points, signals, posts or frontier marks erected
by the Commission.
Article 10
The pillars will be placed so as to be inter
visible. They will be numbered, and their position and their number will be
noted on a cartographic document.
Article 11
The protocols, defining the boundary and the
maps and documents attached thereto will be made out in triplicate, of which
two copies will be forwarded to the Governments of the limitrophe States, and
the third to the Government of the French Republic, which will deliver
authentic copies to the Powers who sign the present Treaty.
Article 12
The decision taken on the 13th
February, 1914, by the Conference of London, in virtue of Articles 5 of the
Treaty of London of the 17th - 30th May, 1913, and 15 of
the Treaty of Athens of the 1st - 14th November, 1913,
which decision was communicated to the Greek Government on the 13th
February, 1914, regarding the sovereignty of Greece over the islands of the
Eastern Mediterranean, other than the islands of Imbros, Tenedos and Rabit
Islands, particularly the islands of Lemnos, Samothrace, Mytilene, Chios,
Samos and Nikaria, is confirmed, subject to the provisions of the present
Treaty respecting the islands placed under the sovereignty of Italy which form
the subject of Article 15.
Except where a provision to the contrary is
contained in the present Treaty, the islands situated at less than three miles
from the Asiatic coast remain under Turkish sovereignty.
Article 13
With a view to ensuring the maintenance of
peace, the Greek Government undertakes to observe the following restrictions
in the islands of Mytilene, Chios, Samos and Nikaria:
(1)No naval base and no fortification will be
established in the said islands.
(2)Greek military aircraft will be forbidden
to fly over the territory of the Anatolian coast. Reciprocally, the Turkish
Government will forbid their military aircraft to fly over the said islands.
(3)The Greek military forces in the said
islands will be limited to the normal contingent called up for military
service, which can be trained on the spot, as well as to a force of
gendarmerie and police in proportion to the force of gendarmerie and police
existing in the whole of the Greek territory.
Article 14
The islands of Imbros and Tenedos, remaining
under Turkish sovereignty, shall enjoy a special administrative organisation
composed of local elements and furnishing every guarantee for the native
non-Moslem population in so far as concerns local administration and the
protection of person and property. The maintenance of order will be assured
therein by a police force recruited from amongst the local population by the
local administration above provided for and placed under its orders.
The agreements which have been, or may be
concluded between Greece and Turkey relating to the exchange of the Greek and
Turkish populations will not be applied to the inhabitants of the islands of
Imbros and Tenedos.
Article 15
Turkey renounces in favour of Italy all
rights and title over the following islands: Stampalia (Astrapalia), Rhodes (Rhodos)
Calki (Kharki), Scarpanto, Casos (Casso), Piscopis (Tilos), Misiros (Nisyros),
Calimnos (Kalymnos), Leros, Patmos, Lipsos (Lipso), Simi (Symi), and Cos (Kos),
which are now occupied by Italy, and the islets dependent thereon, and also
over the island of Castellorizzo (see Map No:2)
Article 16
Turkey hereby renounces all rights and title
whatsoever over or respecting the territories situated outside the frontiers
laid down in the present Treaty and the islands other than those over which
her sovereignty is recognised by the said Treaty, the future of these
territories and islands being settled or to be settled by the parties
concerned.
The provisions of the present Article do not
prejudice any special arrangements arising from neighbourly relations which
have been or may be concluded between Turkey and any limitrophe countries.
Article 17
The renunciation by Turkey of all rights and
titles over Egypt and over the Soudan will take effect as from the 5th
November, 1914.
Article 18
Turkey is released from all undertakings and
obligations in regard to the Ottoman loans guaranteed on the Egyptian tribute,
that is to say, the loans of 1855, 1891 and 1894. The annual payments made by
Egypt for the service of these loans now forming part of the service of the
Egyptian Public Debt, Egypt is freed from all other obligations relating to
the Ottoman Public Debt.
Article 19
Any questions arising from the recognition of
the State of Egypt shall be settled by agreements to be negotiated
subsequently in a manner to be determined later between the Powers concerned.
The provisions of the present. Treaty relating to territories detached from
Turkey under the said Treaty will not apply to Egypt.
Article 20
Turkey hereby recognises the annexation of
Cyprus proclaimed by the British Government on the 5th November,
1914.
Article 21
Turkish nationals ordinarily resident in
Cyprus on the 5th November, 1914, will acquire British nationality
subject to the conditions laid down in the local law, and will thereupon lose
their Turkish nationality. They will, however, have the right to opt for
Turkish nationality within two years from the coming into force of the present
Treaty, provided that they leave Cyprus within twelve months after having so
opted.
Turkish nationals ordinarily resident in
Cyprus on the coming into force of the present Treaty who, at that date, have
acquired or are in process of acquiring British nationality, in consequence of
a request made in accordance with the local law, will also thereupon lose
their Turkish nationality.
It is understood that the Government of
Cyprus will be entitled to refuse British nationality to inhabitants of the
island who, being Turkish nationals, had formerly acquired another nationality
without the consent of the Turkish Government.
Article 22
Without prejudice to the general
stipulation's of Article 27, Turkey hereby recognises the retinite abolition
of all rights and privileges whatsoever which she enjoyed in Libya under the
Treaty of Lausanne of the 18th October, 1912, and the instruments
connected therewith.
2. Special Provisions
Article 23
The High Contracting Parties are agreed to
recognise and declare the principle of freedom of transit and of navigation by
sea and by air, in time of peace as in time of war, in the strait of the
Dardanelles, the Sea of Marmora and the Bosphorus, as prescribed in the
separate Convention signed this day, regarding the regime of the Straits. This
Convention will have the same force and effect in so far as the present High
Contracting Parties are concerned as if it formed part of the present Treaty.
Article 24
The separate Convention signed this day
respecting the regime for the frontier deserted in Article 2 of the present
Treaty will have equal force and effect in so far as the present High
Contracting Parties are concerned as if it formed part of the present Treaty.
Article 25
Turkey undertakes to recognise the full force
of the Treaties of Peace and additional Conventions Concluded by the other
Contracting Powers with the Powers who fought on the side of Turkey, and to
recognise what over dispositions have been or may be made concerning the
territories of the former German Empire, of Austria, of Hungary and of
Bulgaria, and to recognise the new States within their frontiers as there laid
down.
Article 26
Turkey hereby recognises and accepts the
frontiers of Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Roumania,
the Serb-Croat-Slovene State and the Czechoslovak State, as these frontiers
have been or may be determined by the Treaties referred to in Article 25 or by
any supplementary conventions.
Article 27
No power or jurisdiction in political,
legislative or administrative matters shall be exercised outside Turkish
territory by the Turkish Government or authorities, for any reason whatsoever,
over the nationals of a territory placed under the sovereignty or protectorate
of the other Powers signatory of the present Treaty, or over the nationals of
a territory detached from Turkey.
It is understood that the spiritual
attribution's of the Moslem religious authorities are in no way infringed.
Article 28
Each of the High Contracting Parties hereby
accepts, in so far as it is concerned, the complete abolition of the
Capitulations in Turkey in every respect.
Article 29
Morocco's who are French nationals ("ressortissants")
and Tunisia's shall enjoy in Turkey the same treatment in all respects as
other French nationals ("ressortissants").
Natives ("ressortissants") of Libya
shall enjoy in Turkey the same treatment in all respects as other Italian
nationals ("ressortissants").
The stipulation's of the present Article in
no way prejudge the nationality of persons of Tunisian, Libyan and Moroccan
origin established in Turkey.
Reciprocally, in the territories the
inhabitants of which benefit by the stipulations of the first and second
paragraphs of this Article, Turkish nationals shall benefit by the same
treatment as in France and in Italy respectively.
The treatment to which merchandise
originating in or destined for the territories, the inhabitants of which
benefit from the stipulation's of the first paragraph of this Article, shall
be subject in Turkey, and, reciprocally, the treatment to which merchandise
originating in or destined for Turkey shall be subject in the said territories
shall be settled by agreement the French and Turkish Governments.
Section II
Nationality
Article 30
Turkish subjects habitually resident in
territory which in accordance with the provisions of the present Treaty is
detached from Turkey will become ipso facto, in the conditions laid down by
the local law, nationals of the State to which such territory is transferred.
Article 31
Persons over eighteen years of age, losing
their Turkish nationality and obtaining ipso facto a new nationality under
Article 30. shall be entitled within a period of two years from the coming
into force of the present Treaty to opt for Turkish nationality.
Article 32
Persons over eighteen years of age.
habitually resident in territory detached from Turkey in accordance with the
present Treaty, and differing in race from the majority of the population of
such territory shall, within two years from the coming into force of the
present Treaty, be entitled to opt for the nationality of one of the States in
which the majority of the population is of the same race as the person
exercising the right to opt, subject to the consent of that State.
Article 33
Persons who have exercised the right to opt
in accordance with the provisions of Articles 31 and 32 must, within the
succeeding twelve months, transfer their place of residence to the State for
which they have opted.
They will be entitled to retain their
immovable property in the territory of the other State where they had their
place of residence before exercising their right to opt.
They may carry with them their movable
property of every description. No export or import duties may be imposed upon
them in connection with the removal of such property.
Article 34
Subject to any agreements which it may be
necessary to conclude between the Governments exercising authority in the
countries detached from Turkey and the Governments of the countries where the
persons concerned are resident, Turkish nationals of over eighteen years of
age who are natives of a territory detached from Turkey under the present
Treaty, and who on its coming into force are habitually resident, abroad, may
opt for the nationality of the territory of which they are natives, if they
belong by race to the majority of the population of that territory, and
subject to the consent of the Government exercising authority therein. This
right of option must be exercised within two years from the coming into force
of the present Treaty.
Article 35
The Contracting Powers undertake to put no
hindrance in the way of the exercise of the right which the persons concerned
have under the present Treaty, or under the Treaties of Peace concluded with
Germany, Austria, Bulgaria or Hungary, or under any Treaty concluded by the
said Powers, other than Turkey, or any of them, with Russia or between
themselves, to choose any other nationality which may be pone to them.
Article 36
For the purposes of the provisions of this
Section, the status of a married woman will be governed by that of hes
husband, and the status of children under eighteen years of age by that of
their parents.
Section III.
Protection of Minorities
Article 37
Turkey undertakes that the stipulation's
contained in Article 38 to 44 shall be recognised as fundamental laws, and
that no law, no regulation, nor official action shall conflict or interfere
with these stipulation's, nor shall any law, regulation, nor official action
prevail over them.
Article 38
The Turkish Government undertakes to assure
full and complete protection of life and liberty to all inhabitants of Turkey
without distinction of birth, nationality, language, race or religion.
All inhabitants of Turkey shall be entitled
to free exercise whether in public or private, of any creed, religion or
belief, the observance of which shall not be incompatible with public order
and good morals.
Non-Moslem minorities will enjoy full freedom
of movement and of emigration, subject to the measures applied, on the whole
or on part of the territory, to all Turkish nationals, and which may be taken
by the Turkish Government for national defence, or for the maintenance of
public order.
Article 39
Turkish nationals belonging to non-Moslem
minorities will enjoy the same civil and political rights as Moslems.
All the inhabitants of Turkey, without
distinction of religion, shall be equal before the law.
Differences of religion, creed or confession
shall not prejudice any Turkish national in matters relating to the enjoyment
of civil or political rights, as, for instance, admission to public
employment's, functions and honours, or the exarchate of professions and
industries.
No restrictions shall be imposed on the free
use by any Turkish national of any language in private intercourse, in
commerce, religion, in the press, or in publications of any kind or at public
meetings.
Notwithstanding the existence of the official
language, adequate facilities shall be given to Turkish nationals of
non-Turkish speech for the oral use of their own language before the Courts.
Article 40
Turkish nationals belonging to non-Moslem
minorities shall enjoy the same treatment and security in law and in fact as
other Turkish nationals. In particular, they shall have an equal right to
establish, manage and control at their own expense, any charitable, religious
and social institutions, any schools and other establishments for instruction
and education, with the right to use their own language and to exercise their
own religion freely therein.
Article 41
As regards public instruction, the Turkish
Government will grant in those towns and districts, where a considerable
proportion of non-Moslem nationals are resident, adequate facilities for
ensuring that in the primary schools the instruction shall be given to the
children of such Turkish nationals through the medium of their own language.
This provision will not prevent the Turkish Government from making the
teaching of the Turkish language obligatory in the said schools.
In towns and districts where there is a
considerable proportion of Turkish nationals belonging to non-Moslem
minorities, these minorities shall be assured an equitable share in the
enjoyment and application of the sums which may provided out of public funds
under the State, municipal or other budgets for educational, religious, or
charitable purposes.
The sums in question shall be paid to the
qualified representatives of the establishments and institutions concerned.
Article 42
The Turkish Government undertakes to take, as
regards non-Moslem minorities, in so far as concerns their family law or
personal status, measures permitting the settlement of these questions in
accordance with the customs of those minorities.
These measures will be elaborated by special
Commissions composed of representatives of the Turkish Government and of
representatives of each of the minorities concerned in equal number. In case
of divergence, the Turkish Government and the Council of the League of Nations
will appoint in agreement an umpire chosen from amongst European lawyers.
The Turkish Government undertakes to grant
full protection to the churches, synagogues, cemeteries, and other religious
establishments of the above-mentioned minorities. All facilities and
authorisation will be granted to the pious foundations, and to the religious
and charitable institutions of the said minorities at present existing in
Turkey, and the Turkish Government will not refuse, for the formation of new
religious and charitable institutions, any of the necessary facilities which
are granted to other private institutions of that nature.
Article 43
Turkish nationals belonging to non-Moslem
minorities shall not be compelled to perform any act which constitutes a
violation of their faith or religions observances, and shall not be placed
under any disability by reason of their refusal to attend Courts of Law or to
perform any legal business on their weekly day of rest.
This provision, however, shall not exempt
such Turkish nationals from such obligations as shall be imposed upon all
other Turkish nationals for the preservation of public order.
Article 44
Turkey agrees that, in so far as the
preceding Articles of this Section affect non-Moslem nationals of Turkey,
these provisions constitute obligations of international concern and shall be
placed under the guarantee of the League of Nations. They shall not be
modified without the assent of the majority of the Council of the League of
Nations. The British Empire, France, Italy and Japan hereby agree not to
withhold their assent to any modification in these Articles which is in due
form assented to by a majority of the Council of the League of Nations.
Turkey agrees that any Member of the Council
of the League of Nations shall have the right to bring to the attention of the
Council any infraction or danger of infraction of any of these obligations,
and that the Council may thereupon take such action and give such directions
as it may deem proper and effective in the circumstances.
Turkey further agrees that any difference of
opinion as to questions of law or of fact arising out of these Articles
between the Turkish Government and any one of the other Signatory Powers or
any other Power, a member of the Council of the League of Nations, shall be
held to be a dispute of an international character under Article 14 of the
Covenant of the League of Nations. The Turkish Government hereby consents that
any such dispute shall, if the other party thereto demands, he referred to the
Permanent Court of International Justice. The decision of the Permanent Court
shall be final and shall have the same force and effect as an award under
Article 13 of the Covenant.
Article 45
The rights conferred by the provisions of the
present Section on the non-Moslem minorities of Turkey will be similarly
conferred by Greece on the Moslem minority in her territory.
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