What is the Treaty of Lausanne?

What Is the Treaty of Lausanne?

The Treaty of Lausanne is a multilateral peace agreement that secured international recognition of the independence and borders of the Republic of Türkiye following World War I and the Turkish War of Independence. It was signed between Türkiye and the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Japan, Greece, Romania, Yugoslavia, and several other states.

📅 24 July 1923

📍 Lausanne, Switzerland

How Did the Treaty of Lausanne Come About?

1. Armistice of Mudros (1918): With the effective end of the Ottoman Empire, Anatolia was occupied.

2. Treaty of Sèvres (1920): A treaty imposing harsh conditions on the Ottoman Empire that was rejected by the Turkish people.

3. Turkish War of Independence (1919–1922): As a result of the struggle led by the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, the Treaty of Sèvres was declared invalid.

4. Armistice of Mudanya (1922): The war ended, paving the way for peace negotiations.

5. Lausanne Conference (1922–1923): The Turkish delegation, led by İsmet İnönü, participated in Lausanne. The negotiations were difficult but ultimately resulted in a peace agreement.

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Articles of the Treaty of Lausanne

📌 Political Boundaries: Borders closely resembling Türkiye’s current boundaries were established.

📌 Capitulations: Completely abolished. Türkiye also gained economic independence.

📌 Minorities: Turkish citizens were granted equal rights. A population exchange was carried out between Greece and Türkiye.

📌 Debts: Ottoman debts were shared, with Türkiye assuming the majority portion.

📌 Straits: Regulated on the principle of neutrality; control was entrusted to an international commission (this provision was later modified by the 1936 Montreux Convention).

Significance of the Treaty of Lausanne

✅ Türkiye was recognized as a fully independent state.

✅ The Treaty of Sèvres was invalidated, formally marking the end of the Ottoman Empire.

✅ The treaty established the legal and political foundation of the modern Republic of Türkiye.

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⏳ Time Travel: Lausanne in History

🖋️ İsmet İnönü was the head of the Turkish delegation at Lausanne.

🇹🇷 The treaty paved the way for the proclamation of the Republic on 29 October 1923.

📜 24 July 1923 is a turning point in the history of the Republic of Türkiye.

References

- Zürcher, Erik Jan. The History of Modernising Türkiye. Istanbul: İletişim Yayınları, 2004.

- Oran, Baskın. Turkish Foreign Policy Volume 1: 1919–1980. Istanbul: İletişim Yayınları, 2006.

- TBMM Archives. “Text of the Treaty of Lausanne.”

- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye. “Treaty of Lausanne.”

- Republic of Türkiye History of the Revolution and Atatürkism Textbooks (Grade 8, MEB Publications)