Misak-ı Milli

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Misak-ı Milli (English: National Oath) is the set of six important decisions taken by the last term of the Ottoman Parliament. Parliament met on 28 January 1920 and published their decisions on 12 February 1920. These decisions resulted in the occupation of İstanbul by the British on 16 February 1920 and the establisment of a new parliament, the Grand National Assembly, in Ankara.

“National Oath:

1. The future of the territories inhabited by an Arab majority at the time of the signing of the Mondros Treaty will be determined by a referendum. On the other hand, the territories which were not occupied at that time and inhabited by a Turkish-Moslem majority are the homeland of the Turkish nation.
2. The status of Kars, Ardahan and Artvin may be determined by a referendum.
3. The status of Western Thrace will be determined by the votes of its inhabitants.
4. The security of Istanbul and Marmara should be provided for. Transport and free-trade on the Straits of the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles will be determined by Turkey and other concerned countries.
5. The rights of minorities will be issued on condition that the rights of the Moslem minorities in neighboring countries are protected.
6. In order to develop in every field, the country should be independent and free; all restrictions on political, judicial and financial development will be removed.^[1]”

The Ottoman Minister of Internal Affairs, Dâmâd Şerîf Paşa, made the opening speech of parliament due to Mehmed VI's illness. A group of parliamentarians called Felâh-ı Vatan was established by Mustafa Kemal's friends to achknowledge the decisions taken at the Erzurum Congress and the Sivas Congress. Decisions taken by this parliament were used as the basis for the new Turkish Republic's claims in the Treaty of Lausanne.

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