Turkey-Syria Border Question According to the French Diplomatic Documents (1918-1940)

Abstract

Following the Sykes-Picot Treaty of 1916 and the Mudros Armistice of 1918, which divided the Ottoman lands in the Middle East, the French forces invaded parts of Syria and South Anatolia, but faced resistance by national forces. Finally, with the Ankara Agreement signed between France and Turkey on 20 October 1921, TurkeySyria border was decided. With this agreement, the Sanjak region remained outside the borders of Turkey and later confirmed in Lausanne. However, the border issues were not over. In March 1926, İskenderun Sanjak was declared to be independent, and on 30 May 1926 a treaty with France was signed. However, the issue of the determination of the Cizre-Nusaybin border remained elsewhere until 1930. The issue of Syria's border issue, which was a problem between France and Turkey for a long time, was resolved by the treaty between Syria and Turkey on June 23, 1939 between Turkey and France after Hatay was an independent state. On the same day, "Declaration of Mutual Aid" was signed in Paris. Provisions concerning the definite boundaries of the Hatay State are included in this declaration. On 30 March 1940, the Treaty of Friendship and Good Neighborhood between Turkey and Syria was signed and the border negotiations were completed. In this study, the developments and the progress of the process will be examined by taking advantage of the French diplomatic documents.