“The Times” Correspondent in Paris, wrote the following article on August 11, 1920
PEACE WITH TURKEY, Eleven Allied powers sign Treaty
Paris, August 10 1920,
The Turkish Treaty has a length been signed. The ceremony took place at 4 o’clock this afternoon at Sevres.
After the delay caused by the Greco-Italian negotiations came another due to the refusal of the Turkish Delegates to sign the Treaty without the counter signature of Serbia, unless they should receive special permission from Constantinople.
Serbia has not given her signature because she is unwilling to bear the burden of that portion of the Turkish debt which it was arranged should be transferred to the kingdom of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, together witch former Turkish territory.
Permission to sign, however, reached General Hadi Pasha, Riza Tewfik Bey, and Reshid Bey at half-past1, and the ceremony could thus take place a few hours later.
M. Millerand presided over the ceremony. After the three Turkish Delegates has signed, the representatives of the Allies affixed their signatures, Sir George Grahame acting for Great Britain.
Signatures were affixed to three documents – the Treaty itself, the Italo-Greek Protocol, and a Protocol concerning the zones of influence in Asia Minor. The course of procedure was similar to that adopted for the signature of previous Treaties. The Turkish representatives were dressed in frock coats, but retained their fezzes throughout the ceremony, in accordance with national custom.
The Powers signing the Turkish Treaty were Great Britain, France, Italy, Japan, Armenia, Belgium, Greece, Poland Portugal, Rumania, and CzechoSlovakia. Serbia and the Hedjaz were not represented.
Nothing but the ratification of the Treaty of Peace with Hungary, and the Treaty signed yesterday with Turkey now intervenes between Great Britain and a legal termination of the war which began in 1914.
Peace with Germany was signed at Versailles on June 28, 1919, and ratified on January 10 of this year.
Peace with Austria was signed at Saint-Germain on September 10, 1919, and was ratified on July 16 of this year.
Peace with Bulgaria was signed at Neuilly on November 27, 1919, and was ratified on August 9 of this year.
Peace with Hungary was signed at Versailles (Trianon) on June 4 of this year, but has not yet been ratified.
In answer to a question in the House of Commons on June 1, Mr. Bonar Law stated that an Order in Council under the Termination of the Present War (Definition) Act could not be issued until the Treaties with Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Turkey has been signed and the necessary ratifications deposited.