Treaty (Arrangement) of Constantinople

Treaty (Arrangement) of Constantinople

(21 July 1832)

ARRANGEMENT between Great Britain, France, Russia, and Turkey, for the Definitive Settlement of the Continental Limits of Greece. Signed at Constantinople, 21st July, 1832.

ART.TABLE.

Preamble.

1.New Boundary.

2.Indemnity to Turkey.

3.Appointment of Boundary Commissioners.

4.Payment of Indemnity.

5.Turkish Evacuation of Greek Territories.

6.Passage of Greek Vessels through the Gulf of Arta.

7.Permission to Individuals to quit Ceded Territories and to sell their Estates. Similar Privileges to Inhabitants of Eubea and Attica and Proprietors of Thebes.

8.Appointment of Commercial Agents. Definitive Settlement of Greek Question. Confirmation of Arrangement to have same Force as a Ratification.

THE Representatives of the 3 Powers, parties to the Treaty of London, of the 6th of July, 1827, namely, the Right Honourable Sir Stratford Canning, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of His Britannic Majesty, on a special mission to the Ottoman Sublime Porte; the Sieur Appolinaire Bouteneff, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias; and the Sieur Jacques Edouard, Baron Burignot de Varenne, Chargé d’ Affaires of His Majesty the King of the French, - having made known to the Sublime Ottoman Porte the changes which it was necessary to make in the Frontier of Greece, and having communicated to it the object of the instructions, and of the powers with which they were furnished, to propose to it a Definitive Boundary line, upon condition of compensating, by an equitable indemnity, the losses which might result therefrom: -the Sublime Porte, animated with the desire of consolidating the arrangements to which, out of consideration of the 3 Allied Courts, and relying on their sincere intentions, it had previously agreed, has consented to enter upon a negotiation for this purpose, and has charged therewith two of its Ministers, namely, His Excellency Mustapha Behdjet Effendi, Ex-Cazesker of Roumelia, at the present time First Physician of His Highness, and His Excellency Elhadj Mehemed Akif Effendi, present Reis Effendi.

The above-mentioned Plenipotentiaries, filled with the sentiments of their respective Governments, and having no other object in view than that of terminating the Greek Affair in a way that shall be durable, and calculated to prevent all further discussion on this question, have met several times for this salutary purpose; and the complete result of their conferences has been recorded in the present document, exchanged between the Parties as the instrument of their final transaction.

New Boundary.

It was agreed that:

ART.I. With respect to Boundary: On the eastern side, the extreme point of separation of the two States shall be fixed at the mouth of the little River which flows near the Village of Gradiza. The Frontier line shall ascend this River to its source, shall thence reach the chain of Mount Othryx, leaving to Greece the Passage of the Klomo, provided the crest of that chain be not passed: thence it shall follow, in a westerly direction, the crest of the same chain along the whole extent thereof, and especially the Peak of Varibovo, in order to attain the height which, under the denomination of Veluchi, forms the point of connection of the three great chains of mountains of the country. From this height the line shall continue, adapting itself as much as possible to the salient features of the country, across the Valley of the Aspropotamos to the Gulf of Arta, terminating at that Gulf between Coprina and Menidi, in such manner as that in any case the Bridge of Tartarina, the Defile and the Tower of Macrinoros shall be comprised within the Limits of Greece, and that the Bridge of Coracos and the Salt Springs of Coprina shall be left to the Ottoman Porte. Thus, the shore of the Gulf of Arta to the north and west of the point where the Boundary line meets its waters, will be retained by the Ottoman Empire; and the shore of this Gulf to the south and west of the line is assigned to the State of Greece, with the exception of the Fort of Punta, which will continue to belong to the Porte, with a radius of Territory which shall not be less than half-an-hour, nor more than an hour.

Nevertheless, as the Representatives, full of deference for the wish which has been expressed in the name of His Highness, relative to the portion of the district of Zeitoun, situate to the left of the Sperchius, have agreed that reference should be made on the subject to the Conference of London, upon the express condition that the decision and execution of the measures consequent thereupon should not be retarded thereby; it has become necessary to provide for the contingency of that portion of the Territory of Zeitoun remaining to the Ottoman Empire.

The Boundary line to the east will in that case commence at the mouth of the River Sperchius, and will run up its left Bank to the point of contact of the districts of Zeitoun and of Patradjik; thence it will reach the summit of the chain of the Othryx, following the common Boundary of those two districts, and the most direct line, in the event of that common Boundary not attaining the summit of the chain of the Othryx.

It will continue in the manner before mentioned, in order to terminate at the Gulf of Arta.

Indemnity to Turkey.

ART.II. With respect to the Indemnity, it remains fixed at the sum of 40,000,000 of Turkish piastres, provided the portions of the district of Zeitoun, situate to the left of the River Sperchius shall have been, in consequence of the decision of the Conference of London, definitively assigned to the Greek State.

If, on the other hand, in consequence of the decision of the Conference of London, those portions of the district of Zeitoun are to continue to belong to the Ottoman Empire, the indemnity which the Porte will receive remains fixed at the sum of 30,000,000 of Turkish piastres.

Appointment of Boundary Commissioners.

ART.III. The Commissioners of the 3 Courts shall immediately proceed to the marking out of the Boundary now settled. A Commissioner shall be appointed by the Sublime Porte to join in the labours of this Demarcation. It is clearly understood that no delay shall arise in this operation, whether from the absence of one or two of the Commissioners or from any other cause. A Commissioner appointed by the Greek Government may co-operate in the same labours, which should be completed in the space of 6 months, dating from this day. In case of difference of opinion between the Commissioners, the question shall be equitably resolved by a majority of voices.

Payment of Indemnity.

ART.IV. The Indemnity which is due to the Sublime Porte in virtue of the present Arrangement, shall be paid on the 31st of December of the present year, on which day, in conformity with the following Article, all the Territories, without exception, which are to constitute Greece shall be evacuated, if not sooner, by the troops and authorities of the Sublime Porte. This payment shall be effected at Constantinople on the 1st of December, 1832, at the rate of exchange of the day of the signing of this instrument, by drafts on London, Paris, Vienna, or Petersburgh; and the Porte shall be officially informed on this matter on the arrival of the formal confirmation of this transaction.

Turkish Evacuation of Greek Territories.

ART.V. On the 31st of December of the present year, or sooner if possible, the Territories which form the object of the present Arrangement shall be entirely evacuated by the Ottoman troops and Authorities. With respect to the Territories previously assigned to Greece, and which are still occupied by the Sublime Porte, they also shall be evacuated within the same period, so that on the day specified, the evacuation of all the Territories, without exception, which are to constitute Greece, shall have been in every instance completely effected.

Passage of Greek Vessels through the Gulf of Arta.

ART.VI. The Fort of Punta, as has been said above, being intended to remain to the Porte to complete the means of defence of Prevesa, and in order the better to secure the safety of its commerce, there shall only be permitted therein a garrison sufficient for the occupation of that post. It is understood that the Ottoman Authorities will not oppose any obstacle to the passage of Greek Vessels; and, excepting Customs dues and other imposts which would be due to the Sublime Porte in cases where Vessels may put into Punta, Prevesa, or other Turkish ports of the Gulf of Arta, the Authorities shall demand nothing for the passage.

Permission to Individuals to quit Ceded Territories
and to sell their Estates.

ART.VII. A term of 18 months, dating from the day on which the labours of the Demarcation shall have been completed, is accorded to such individuals as may desire to quit the Territories which form the object of the present Arrangement, and to sell their estates. This term of 18 months may, in special cases, and under unforeseen circumstances, be prolonged some months, and a Commission of Arbitration shall determine on the validity of these cases for exception, and shall assist in causing the sales to be effected at a fair price.

Similar Privileges to Inhabitants of Eubea and Attica, and

Proprietors of Thebes.

The same advantages are accorded to the inhabitants of the Island of Eubea, and of Attica, and to the Proprietors of Thebes, who would at the present day be in the receipt of their rightful revenues if that district were occupied by the Ottoman troops at the date of the assent of the Porte to the preceding arrangements of the 3rd of February, 1830.

It is understood that these individuals will alike be allowed to dispose, and within the same period, of any beneficial interest which they may have, either as tenants, or as hereditary administrators, in the Vacoufs, the whole of which is transferred to the Greek State.

Appointment of Commercial Agents.

ART.VIII. In conformity with the preceding stipulations, the Government of the new King of Greece will have the power of entering into negotiation for the purpose of regulating its relations of commerce and navigation with the Sublime Porte on a principle of reciprocity; and Agents duly accredited on either side shall be received in the Ports of Turkey and Greece, according to the usual forms, so that Ottoman subjects shall have an acknowledged right to traffic at their will in the State of Greece, and that, on their side, the Greeks shall cease to have recourse to foreign protection to frequent the Ports and Trading Towns of the Ottoman Empire.

Definitive Settlement of Greek Question.

The undersigned Plenipotentiaries of the 3 Courts, and those of the Sublime Porte, having brought to a close the Conferences which they have held for the purpose of effecting the Definitive Settlement of the Boundary of Greece, as above described, declare that, considering the arrangements recorded by common agreement in the present instrument, the object of the Treaty of London of the 6th July, 1827, and of the Protocols under different dates which relate thereto, is completely attained; that the prolonged negotiations to which those stipulations have given rise, are terminated in such a manner as never to be renewed; in fact, that the Greek Question is irrevocably settled.

Confirmation of Arrangement to have same force as a Ratification.

The final Confirmation of the present Final Arrangement by the 3 August Courts shall be transmitted to the Sublime Porte within the period of 4 months, dating from this day; and that Confirmation shall have, with respect to this Act, all the force of a Ratification.

Done at Constantinople, the 9th/21st July, 1832 (the 23rd of the month Safer, 1248 of the Hegira).

(L.S.) STRATFORD CANNING.

(L.S.) A. BOUTENEFF.

(L.S.) E.B. VARENNE.