Abstract
After the French and British occupation of the region, including the İskenderun Sanjak of the Ottoman Empire, following the First World War, the Ankara Agreement was signed on October 20, 1921, establishing a ceasefire with France. This agreement defined the Turkey-Syria border and outlined a special administration for the Sanjak. On July 24, 1922, France took control of İskenderun Sanjak as part of Syria and Lebanon under a mandate. Until the end of 1936, the French established political and administrative arrangements in the region to secure control in line with their interests in the Middle East. Atatürk, well aware of the importance of timing in foreign policy, played a decisive role in the peaceful and lawful resolution of the issue during the process of Hatay’s accession to Turkey. This study, primarily based on official archive documents and newspapers, explores the issue of İskenderun Sanjak remaining outside the homeland, the commitments made on the basis of the 1921 Ankara Agreement, France’s practices based on the Syria and Lebanon Mandate Law, the transfer of Hatay to Turkey, and the withdrawal from the region with the Treaty of June 23, 1939. The research is conducted using qualitative research methods, and the findings are presented descriptively, adhering as closely as possible to the original form of the documents and including direct quotations from participants’ statements when necessary
Keywords:
This article has been read 354 times