Özet:

The Dodecanese islands located two kilometers away from Turkey in the southeast of the Aegean Sea was temporarily ceded to Italy with the Ouchy Treaty signed on 18 October 1912 and then permanently with the Lausanne Treaty. As Italy could not fulfil its desires about East Mediterranean in the Paris Peace Conference and as the Dodecanese Islands were located within the Greek's Great Design borders, it began to establish military installations to turn the islands of Rhodes, Leros, Astypalaia and Kos into military bases and arm them. This policy of Italy and the need for the protection of the interests of the Turkish population made it necessary for Turkey to maintain its interests in and relations with the islands within the context of international law. In this context, a commission was established by the two countries to investigate the waters between the Kastellorizo Island and Anatolian costs and help of the Italian government was sought to take measures against guerrillas and smugglers looting Anatolian coasts. A contract was signed between the General Directorate of Postal and Telegraph and the Governorate of Rhodes in Italy for the operation of telegraph cables. In the context of the protection of the rights and interests of the Dodecanese Turks, it was decided to take the case to the Hague International Court of Justice when the Italian Government did not agree on the ownership of the property and some initiatives were taken by the Turkish government for the Italian government to solve the educational problems faced by Turkish children in Rhodes. Due to the earthquake striking the islands of Kos, Kalymnos and Leros on 23 April 1933, some aid in kind and financial aid were sent by Turkey and the Defterdar Mosque destroyed in the earthquake in the Kos island was repaid. Some measures were taken to prevent the Turkish population from selling their properties cheaply and migrating to Turkey. In the current article, the policies followed by the Republic of Turkey under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk to monitor and protect the rights and interests of the Turkish population and the Turkish Republic in the Italian islands in line with the international laws and treaties are discussed.

Anahtar Kelimeler: