[Constantinople Conferences. Turco-Greek Frontier.] At the request of the Ambassadors, the Ottoman Plenipotentiaries declared that the Government of His Majesty the Sultan undertook to remove, during the evacuation of the Imperial troops, all the torpedoes and all impediments which may have been placed outside of the ports of Prevesa and Arta, and at the entrance of the Gulf of Volo. The same engagements shall be undertaken by the Hellenic Government regarding the torpedoes which may have been placed by them in the Gulf of Arta. The Ottoman Delegates having requested that by the word concert" ("accord"), inserted in Article III of the Military Annex, it should be understood that "the European Commission would communicate to the Greek Commander the arrangements made by the Ottoman Commander relative to the evacuation of the territories, and would thereupon invite him to take possession of the territories evacuated," the Ambassadors replied that the duty of the Commission naturally consisted in shortening according to the very terms of the Convention the periods laid down for the evacuation of the territories, but that the Commissioners would endeavour to reconcile as much as possible the military formalities of the two parties. Before closing the sitting, the Ambassadors declared that the Cabinet of Athens was to be invited by their Governments to furnish its Representative at Constantinople, or any other person whom it might think fit, with the powers necessary to sign without delay, with the Sublime Porte, the identic Convention contemplated by Article XVIII of the Convention concluded this day between the Plenipotentiaries of His Majesty the Sultan and the Ambassadors of the Six Mediating Powers (No. 584). Done at Constantinople, the 24th day of the month of May, 1881. GEORGE J. GOSCHEN. TISSOT. L. CORTI. NOVIKOW. SERVER. MOUKHTAR. ALY. ARTIN DADIAN. [Turco-Greek Frontier.] No. 584.-CONVENTION between Her Majesty, the German Emperor, the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, the President of the French Republic, the King of Italy, the Emperor of Russia, and the Sultan, for the Settlement of the Frontier between Greece and Turkey. Signed at Constantinople, 24th May, 1881. 1. New Frontiers. Boundary Commission; mode of Voting. 2. Cession of Punta to Greece. Gulf of Arta; Disarmament of Fortifica tions; Free Navigation. 3. Inhabitants of Ceded Territories. 4. Rights of Property. 5. Estates of the Sultan. 6. Land Owners. 7. Pasture Lands. 8. Religious Freedom in Territories ceded to Greece. Local Courts of the Chéri. 9. Settlement of Disputes: State Property, Private Interests. Indemnity to be paid by Greece for Ottoman Government Lands. 10. Greece: Share of Ottoman Debt; Ceded Territories. 11. Disarmament. 12. Brigandage. 13. Emigration. Military Service. 14. Arrears of Taxes. 15. Evacuation. 16. Technical Commissioners. 17. Amnesty. 18. Conclusion of a similar Convention between Greece and Turkey. 19. Ratifications. Annex. 1. Map of Territories Ceded to Greece. 2. Evacuation. War Materials. 3. Commission composed of Military Delegates. (Translation as laid before Parliament.) HER Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India; His Majesty the German Emperor, King of Prussia; His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, &c., and Apostolic King of Hungary; the President of the French Republic; His Majesty the King of Italy; and His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias, exercising the mediation contemplated by Article XXIV of the Treaty signed at Berlin on the 13th July, 1878 (No. 530), of the [Turco-Greek Frontier.] one part; and His Majesty the Emperor of the Ottomans, of the other part; being equally animated by the desire to regulate, in the interest of European order, the questions relative to the rectification of the Turco-Greek frontiers, have determined to conclude a Convention destined to give a definite solution to this question. Their said Majesties and the President of the French Republic have, to this effect, appointed as their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say: Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India: the Right Honourable George J. Goschen, Her Special Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary at the Court of His Majesty the Emperor of the Ottomans; His Majesty the German Emperor, King of Prussia: Paul, Count de Hatzfeldt Wildenburg, His Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary at the Court of His Majesty the Emperor of the Ottomans; His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, &c., and Apostolic King of Hungary: Henry, Baron Calice, His Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary at the Court of His Majesty the Emperor of the Ottomans; The President of the French Republic: Charles Tissot, Ambassador of the French Republic at the Court of His Majesty the Emperor of the Ottomans; His Majesty the King of Italy: Louis, Count Corti, His Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary at the Court of His Majesty the Emperor of the Ottomans; His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias: Eugène Novikow, His Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary at the Court of His Majesty the Emperor of the Ottomans; And His Majesty the Emperor of the Ottomans: Mahmoud Server Pasha, President of His Council of State; the Mushir Ghazi Ahmed Moukhtar Pasha, President of the Commission of Inspection of Military Reforms; the Mushir Aly Nyzami Pasha; Artin Effendi Dadian, Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Foreign Affairs; Who, furnished with the necessary powers, have agreed to the following Articles: [Turco-Greek Frontier.] New Frontiers. ART. I. The new frontiers of Turkey and Greece are fixed as follows:- * The new frontier line starting from a point near the defile of Karalik-Dervend, between the mouth of the Salamvrias and Platamona, about 4 kilom. to the south of the latter point, follows in a westerly direction the crest of the mountains, passes first between Krania and Avarnitza, then between Nezeros and Analipsis, arrives at the summit of Mount Godaman, then descends towards the south, following the crest of Olympus, reaches the summit of Kokkinopetra, and, taking a westerly direction from this point without leaving the same crest, passes between Ligara and Derveni-Melona, and arrives at the summit of Mount Kritiri. Thence turning towards the south the line gains the right bank of the Xeraghis, and, following the line of watershed towards the south-west, gains the summit of the heights situated to the north of the village of Zarko, then turns to the north-west in the direction of Diminitza and keeps to the line of watershed, leaving to Turkey the village of Elevtherokhorion. Before reaching Diminitza, at a distance of about 18 kilom. from that place, the frontier-line turns towards the west, still on the line of watershed, and passes by the villages of Flamouristi, Gavronon, and Georgitza to the summit of Mount Kratchovo. Then turning southwards by the crest, it passes by the summits of Mounts Zygos, Dokini, and Peristeri, and gains the River Arta, following the stream which carries off by the shortest way the rainfall from the summit of Mount Peristeri to this river, and passing near the villages of Kalarrhytes and Mikalitzi. Beyond these last points the line follows the thalweg of the River Arta to its mouth. Boundary Commission. Mode of Voting. This delimitation will be fixed on the spot by a Commission composed of the Delegates of the Six Powers and of the two parties interested. The Delimitation Commission will pass their Resolutions by a majority of votes, each Power having but one vote. It should meet within eight days after the ratification of the * See Map. [Turco-Greek Frontier.] present Convention, or sooner if possible, so as to commence its labours.* Cession of Punta to Greece. ART. II. Punta and its territory, as it was determined by the first Article of the Act signed at Constantinople on the 21st July, 1832 (No. 161), will be ceded to Greece.† Gulf of Arta; Disarmament of Fortifications; Free Navigation. All the fortifications commanding the entrance to the Gulf of Arta, both on the side of Prevesa as well as on that of Punta, will be disarmed within three months after the signature of this Convention, and will remain disarmed in time of peace between the two States. The navigation of the Gulf of Arta will be free. Inhabitants of Ceded Territories. ART. III. The lives, property, honour, religion, and customs of those of the inhabitants of the localities ceded to Greece who shall remain under the Hellenic administration will be scrupulously respected. They will enjoy exactly the same civil and political rights as Hellenic subjects of origin. Rights of Property. ART. IV. The rights of property on the farms, as well as on the pasturages, meadows, grazing grounds ("kechlak "), forests, and every kind of lands or other real estate, held by private individuals and communes in virtue of firmans, hodjets, tapous, and other titles, or else by the Ottoman law, in the districts ceded to Greece, will be recognized by the Hellenic Government. The titles of property called vakoufs, which serve to keep up the mosques, colleges, schools, and other pious or charitable institutions, will be equally recognized. Estates of the Sultan. ART. V. His Majesty the Sultan shall be enabled, as in the * This Commission sat from 6th July till 17th November, 1881. For Report of its proceedings made by Major Ardagh, December 1, 1881, see Parliamentary Paper, Greece No. 1 (1882). + Punta was evacuated by Turkish troops and occupied by the Greeks 10th September, 1881. Completed by the beginning of November, 1881. |