norities and safeguarding freedom of transit and equitable treatment for the commerce of other nations. Syria and Mesopotamia are provisionally recognized by the high contracting parties as independent States, in accordance with article 22 of the Covenant of the League of Nations, subject to the tendering of administrative advice and assistance by a mandatory until they are able to stand alone. The boundaries of the States and the selection of mandatories will be fixt by the principal Allied Powers. By the application of the provisions of article 22 of the Covenant the administration of Palestine is also entrusted to a mandatory. The selection of the mandatory and the determination of the frontiers of Palestine will be made by the principal Allied Powers. The declaration originally made on November 2, 1917, by the British Government and adopted by the other Allied Governments in favor of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine is reaffirmed, and its terms cited in the Treaty. Turkey, in accordance with the action already taken by the Allied Powers, recognize the Hedjaz as a free and Independent State and transfers to the Hedjaz her sovereign rights over territory outside the boundaries of the former Turkish Empire and within the boundaries of the Hedjaz as ultimately fixt. In view of the sacred character of the cities and holy places of Mecca and Medina in the eyes of all Moslems, the King of the Hedjaz undertakes to ensure free and easy access thereto of Moslems of every country desiring to go there on pilgrimages and for other religious objects, and respect for pious foundations. Turkey renounces all rights and titles over Egypt and Cyprus as from November, 1914, and recognizes the Protectorate proclaimed by Great Britain over Egypt on December 18, 1914. Turkey recognizes the French Protectorate in Morocco and over Tunis. Turkey also renounces in favor of Italy all rights and titles over the Dodecanese now in the occupation of Italy and also over the Island of Castellorizzo. Special provision is made for Turkey's acceptance of a scheme of judicial reform (on the lines either of a mixed or unified system) to be drafted by the principal Allied Powers with the assistance of technical experts of the other capitulatory Powers, Allied or neutral. This scheme shall replace the present capitulatory system in judicial matters in Turkey. Part IV. Turkey is to assure full and complete protection of life and liberty to all inhabitants of Turkey without distinction of birth, nationality, language, race, or religion. Special provision is made for the annulment of forcible conversions to Islam during the war and for the search and delivery under the protection of mixed commissions appointed by the League of Nations of all persons in Turkey, of whatever race or religion, carried off, interned, or placed in captivity during the war. Turkey agrees to certain measures of restitution and reparation con trolled by mixed arbitral commissions appointed by the League of Nations in favor of subjects of non-Turkish race who have suffered during the war. These commissions will have power generally to arrange for carrying out works of reconstruction, the removal of undesirable persons from different localities, the disposal of property belonging to members of a community who have died or disappeared during the war without leaving heirs, and for the cancellation of forced sales of property during the war. The measures necessary to guarantee the execution of this chapter of the Treaty are to be decided upon by the principal Allied Powers in consultation with the Council of the League of Nations. Part V. Military Classes. Recruiting on a voluntary and nonracial, non-religious long-service basis is to be established. Turkey will be allowed to maintain the following armed land force: 1. Gendarmerie, 35,000 men. 2. Special elements intended for the reinforcement of the gendarmerie in case of serious trouble, 15,000 men. 3. The Sultan's bodyguard, 700 men. An Inter-Allied commission which will be responsible for the control and organization of the Turkish armed forces. Armament and material of war are limited to the amount considered necessary for the new armed force. For the purpose of guaranteeing the freedom of the Straits all works, fortifications, and batteries are to be demolished within a zone extending 20 kilos, inland from the coasts of the Sea of Marmora and the Straits, and comprising the islands of the Sea of Marmora, also the islands of Lemnos, Imbros, Tenedos, and Mitylene. The naval clauses provide for the surrender of all Turkish warships with the exception of a few small lightly armed vessels, which may be retained for police and fishery duties. Turkey is forbidden to construct or acquire any surface warships other than those required to replace the units allowed for police and fishery duties, and also forbidden to [construct] or acquire any submarine even for commercial purposes. No military or naval air forces are to be maintained by Turkey. Part VI. Turkish prisoners of war and interned civilians are to be repatriated without delay at the cost of the Turkish Government. All repatriation is conditional upon the immediate release of any Allied subjects still in Turkey. The Turkish Government is to afford facilities to commissions of inquiry in collecting information in regard to missing prisoners of war, in imposing penalties on Turkish officials who have concealed Allied nationals, and in establishing criminal acts committed by Turks against Allied nationals. The Turkish Government is to restore all property belonging to Allied prisoners. The Turkish Government is to transfer to the British, French, and Italian Governments respectively right of ownership over the ground in Turkey in which are situated the graves of their soldiers and sailors and over the land required for cemeteries or for providing access to cemeteries. The Greek Government undertakes to fulfil the same obligation so far as concerns the portion of the zone of the Straits placed under its sovereignty. The land will include in particular certain areas in the Gallipoli peninsula. Part VII. Penalties. Military tribunals are to be set up by the Allies to try persons accused of acts of violation of the laws and customs of war, and the Turkish Government is to hand over all persons so accused. The Turkish Government is to undertake to furnish all documents and information the production of which may be necessary. The Turkish Government undertakes to surrender to the Allies persons responsible for the massacres committed during the war on the territory of the former Turkish empire, the Allies reserving the right to designate the tribunal to try such persons or to bring the accused before a tribunal of the League of Nations competent to deal with the said massacres if such a tribunal has been created by the League in sufficient time. All the resources of Turkey except revenues ceded or hypothecated to the services of the Ottoman Public Debt are to be employed as need arises effecting the following payments set forth in order of priority: (1) Ordinary expenses of the Allied forces of occupation after the entry into force of the Treaty. (2) Expenses of the Allied forces of occupation since the 30th October in the territories remaining Turkish, and expenses of occupation in the territories detached from Turkey to the advantage of a Power other than that which has supported such expenses of occupation. (3) Indemnities due on account of claims of the Allied Powers for reparation for damages suffered by their nationals. The Turkish Government agrees to the financial indemnification of all the losses or damages suffered by the civilian nationals of the Allied Powers during the war and up to the entry into force of the Treaty. |