Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/1386

 1334 TURKEY

or governor-general, representing the Sultan, and assisted by a provincial council, i3 placed at the h sad of each Vilayet. The minor provinces, districts, kc, are subjected to inferior authorities (Mutesarrifs, Kaimmakams and Mudirs) under the superintendence of the Vali. The division of the country into Vilayets has been frequently modified of late for political reasons. For similar reasons several of the Sanjaks of the empire are governed by Mutesar- rifs reporting direct to the Ministry of the Interior. The tendency ha3 been to increase tbe number of these so-called 'independent' Sanjaks by detaching ordinary Sanjaks from the Vilayets to which they have heretofore belonged. All subjects, however humble their origin, are eligible to, and may till, the highest offices in the State.

An entirely abnormal situation has come into existence as a result of the growth of the 'National Movement' in the interior, which culminated in the convocation of a Grand National Assembly at Angora in April, 1920, under the auspices of Mustafa Kemal Pasha and those associated with him in the movement. Immediately after coming into existence, this Assembly declared itself invested with all power, both legislative and executive, without, however, throwing off its allegiance to the Sultan. It deputed its executive power to a body of Commissioners, forming what is practically a Cabinet. The Angora Government claims to be the sole lawful Government of Turkey, and it exercises de facto all the functions of government in the whole of Asia Minor not in foreign occupation. It refuses to recognise in any way the Treaty of Sevres. It has broken off all normal relations with Constantinople. The policy of the present Central Government is to bring this dualism to an end by peaceful means, but no definite progress has been made in this direction up to the present (April, 1921).

Area and Population.

The Ottoman Empire before the war was made up of (1) Turkey in Europe,

(2) Turkey in Asia (Anatolia, Arabia, Syria, Palestine, Mesopotamia, and Kurdistan), and (3) certain Islands in the Mediterranean. After the conclusion of the 1st Balkan war (November, 1913), which commenced in October, 1912, the Turkish possessions in Europe were considerably lessened, Turkey in Europe being in part divided among the Allied States (Bulgaria, Serbia, Montenegro, and Greece), and in part created into an independent state 61 Albania. Cyprus and Egypt, which were formerly under the suzerainty of the Sultan, were, the one, annexed to the British Empire and the other declared a British Protectorate in November, 1914, and January, 1915, respectively.

According to the Treaty of Peace with Turkey (signed at Sevres on August 10, 1920, but not yet ratified by any of the parties), the Empire is reduced still further. Turkey cedes (1) Thrace, west of the Ohatalja line, and excepting only the Derkos water supply area, to Greece, as wellasTenedos and Imbros, and the Islands in the jEgean occupied by Greece ; (2) Smyrna with the surrounding snip, comprising Tireh, Odemish, Magnisa, Akhiasar, Bcrg- ama and Aivali, is to be administered by Greece, under Turkish sovereignty, for 5 years, after which the territory may annex itself to Greece by plebiscite ;

(3) Mesopotamia, Palestine, Syria, Armenia and the 1 1 ejaz, become independ- ent, the lirst three under mandatories ; (4) Kurdistan has autonomy conferred upon it ; (fi) Oastcllorizo and the Dodecanese are ceded to Italy. Turkey retains ( iMiistantinoplc. but the coastal area of the Dardanelles, the Marmora and the Bosporus are placed under the control of a ' Commission of the Straits ' appointed from the League of Nations. In the revised form of the Treaty (March, 1921), Turkey was granted certain concessions, as, for example, a considerable reduction of the demilitarised zone in the Straits, compromise on the question of Smyrna, and a substantial rearrangement of