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Switzerland presents Turkey table on which Lausanne Treaty was signed â€“ PHOTOSESSION

Switzerland presents Turkey table on which Lausanne Treaty was signed â€“ <font color=red>PHOTOSESSION </font>

12 November 2008 12:24 (UTC +04:00)

Istanbul â€“ APA. President of Switzerland Pascal Couchepin gave an extraordinary gift to President Abdullah Gul during his visit to Turkey. APA reports that it is a table on which the Treaty of Lausanne was signed. The treaty, which determined the fate of Turkey, was signed on this table. Lausanne Treaty delimited the boundaries of Turkey, abolished the decision on capitulation, recognized all the national minorities living in the country as the citizens of Turkey, changed the places of the Turks living in Eastern Thrace with the Greeks living in Anatolia.

The treaty also clarified the payment of the Ottoman public debt. Turkey refused to pay the debts saying they belonged to the Ottoman state. According to Lausanne Treaty, the Ottoman public debt was distributed among all the states established in the territory of the empire and Turkey was allowed to pay the debts by installments.

One of the important items of the Lausanne Treaty, which is still effective, is connected with the straits of Bosphorus and Dardanelles. The straits were given to Turkey under certain conditions. According to the conditions, the international commission chaired by Turkey would determine passing of ships through the straits. According to another condition, it was not allowed to deploy military forces in 15km from both banks of the straits, but Turkey was allowed to use the straits in case of war.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul expressed his gratitude to his Swiss counterpart Pascal Couchepin for the table on which the historical treaty was signed in Lausanne on July 24, 1923.
â€œThe table, which witnessed the establishment of Turkish Republic, is of great moral value for us. This table will be certainly demonstrated in the exhibitions in Turkey,â€ he said.