NATIONAL PACT

(Turkey)

From July to August 1919 under the leadership ofMustafa Kemal(Ataturk), the Turkishnationalistsheld a congress in Erzurum in easternTurkey. Here they drew up the National Pact (Milli Misak), which basically established modern Turkey's existing borders. Although recognizing the loss of the Arab provinces, this meant that Turkey would not accept an independent Kurdistan in southeastern Anatolia.

Interestingly, the National Pact also claimed for modern Turkey thevilayet(province) ofMosul(northern Iraq), which was only grudgingly recognized as part ofIraqafter the issue was settled by theLeague of Nations. The National Pact also pledged to maintain these borders even if the sultan's government in Istanbul were forced to abandon them under foreign pressure. Thus, the National Pact was an important step in the creation of the modern Republic of Turkey and the denial of Kurdish ethnic rights.