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Coll 6/81 'Syria: Status of Alexandretta and Antioch.' [276r] (552/576)
The record is made up of 1 file (286 folios). It was created in 17 Sep 1936-31 Aug 1939. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
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Oloiections of Turkish Propos a ls Regarding Sanjak of
Alexandretta.
The Turkish Government have stated officially that what they
are seeking to obtain is not the incorporation of the Sanjak in
Turkey hut its establishment as a separate independent unit,
corresponding to the separate states of Syria and of the Lebanon
which it is eventually proposed to set up on the termination of
the French Mandatory regime. They ,ave tentatively suggested
to Sir. P. Loraine as an alternative (see Sir P. Loraine's
telegram No. 177 of November 27th) that the new territory might
be placed under the aegis of the League or given some
international guarantee. The objections to either of these two
proposals will be developed below. Meanwhile, however, not
withstanding Turkish protestations, it is impossible to exclude
altogether the possibility that, if the Sanjak is in fact
separated from the State of Syria, as the Turks propose, it
will ultimately be bsorbed by Turkey. As pointed out below, it
is almost inconceivable that the Sanjak could in fact stand
alone. It has no racial or linguistic cohesion, and is
economically entirely dependent on one or other of its
neighbours. If it were set up as an independent unit, it v/ould
inevitably become a tempting field for irredentist ambition,
both in Turkey and in Arabia, and since the Turks, after the
interest they have taken in the question, could hardly leave
Arab activity and propaganda a clear field, they would presumably
be almost obliged to embark on similar activities themselves.
Indeed, if only in order to prevent the Sanjak from falling
back into Syria they would have to attract it towards themselves,
and it is not difficult to imagine a situation in which the
area would gradually be forced into increasing dependence on,
and eventually almost automatic absorption by, Turkey. It is
true
• # •
About this item
- Content
This file documents the British response to developments regarding the status of the Sanjak [administrative district, referred to in Arabic as Liwa] of Alexandretta, including the cities of Alexandretta [İskenderun, Turkey] and Antioch [Antakya, Turkey].
The file features the following principal correspondents: His Majesty's Ambassador, Istanbul (Sir Percy Loraine, succeeded by Hughe Knatchbull-Hugessen); His Majesty's Ambassador, Bagdad [Baghdad] (Sir Archibald Clark Kerr, succeeded by Sir Maurice Drummond Peterson); His Majesty's Ambassador, Paris (Sir George Russell Clerk, succeeded by Sir Eric Phipps); the British Consul, Aleppo (Archibald William Davis); the British Consul, Damascus (Gilbert MacKereth); His Majesty's Minister at Jedda (Sir Reader William Bullard); the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Anthony Eden); officials of the Foreign Office.
The correspondence includes discussion of the following:
- The demography of the Sanjak of Alexandretta.
- Turkey's claim for the Sanjak to be given autonomy.
- The progression of Franco-Turkish negotiations, brokered by the League of Nations and resulting in the Sanjak's new autonomous status (in its internal affairs only), as granted in a League of Nations statute, concluded in January 1937 and brought into force on 29 November 1937.
- Reports of both Arab and Turkish demonstrations in Alexandretta and Antioch during January 1937 (as well as Arab demonstrations in Aleppo).
- Pressure from Syria and Iraq for the Sanjak to be partitioned between Syria and Turkey.
- The reported registration of non-Turkish electors in the Sanjak as Turks.
- Reported divisions in the Syrian Nationalist Government.
- The conclusion of a treaty of friendship between France and Turkey in July 1938.
- The announcement in September 1938 that the Sanjak of Alexandretta will in future be known as the Republic of Hatay, with Antioch as its capital.
- The Franco-Turkish agreement regarding the change of status of Hatay to that of a Turkish province, concluded in June 1939.
The French language material in the file consists of several items of correspondence, plus copies of the aforementioned Franco-Turkish agreement (dated 23 June 1939) and the Turco-French treaty (dated 4 July 1938).
The file includes two dividers which give a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. These are placed at the back of the correspondence (folios 2-3).
- Extent and format
- 1 file (286 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 287; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/2154
- Title
- Coll 6/81 'Syria: Status of Alexandretta and Antioch.'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:5v, 11r:12v, 14r:23v, 26r:81v, 84r:84v, 87r:131v, 133r:170v, 172r:194v, 196r:217v, 223r:236v, 239r:263v, 265r:287v, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence