Convention for a Defensive Alliance between the Polish Republic and the Kingdom of Romania
Youssouf Kemal Bey, Commissioner (Minister) of Eco-
nomic Affairs; and
Dr. Reza Nour. Bey, Commissaire of Public Instruction,
Members of the Government, on behalf of the Government of
the Grand National Assembly of Turkey; and
His Highness General Muhammad Wali Khan, Ambas-
sador Extraordinary, on behalf of Afghanistan;
Who, having communicated their full powers, found to be in
due and proper order, have accepted the following Articles:—
Art. I. The Turkish nation, in possession of an independent
existence for such time as God wills, considers it to be a sacred
duty to recognise the independence, in the full significance of
the term, of the Afghan nation, to which she is bound with ties
of the utmost sincerity and conscientiousness.
II. The two High Contracting Parties recognise that all East-
ern nations possess complete liberty and right of independence,
and that each of these nations is free to administer itself by such
form of administration as it may particularly desire, and they
recognise the independence of the States of Bokhara and Khiva.
III. Turkey having for centuries given guidance to and ren-
dered distinguished services to Islam, and holding in her hand
the standard of the Caliphate, Afghanistan in this connection
recognises the leadership of Turkey.
IV. Each of the High Contracting Parties will consider as
directed against herself personally, and will oppose with all the
means at her disposal, any attack made against the other by any
Imperialistic State in pursuance of the policy of invasion and
exploitation of the East.
V. Each of the Contracting Parties undertakes not to con-
clude any Treaty or Convention injurious to the interests of the
other party or which would be in the interests of a third State
with which the other is not on friendly terms, and to give prior
notice to the other of the forthcoming conclusion of an Agree-
ment with any nation whatsoever.
VI. With a view to the regularisation of commercial and eco-
nomic relations and Consular affairs, the two Contracting Par-
ties will conclude the necessary Conventions separately, and
Ambassadors will from henceforth be sent by each to the capital
of the other.
VII. Turkey agrees to help Afghanistan militarily and to send
instructors and officers. These missions of teachers and officers
will serve for a minimum period of five years, and on the expi-
ration of that period, if Afghanistan so desires, a new mission of
instructors will be sent....
IX. This Treaty will be ratified with the least possible delay,
and its clauses will be in force from that time.
X. This Treaty has been drawn up at Moscow in duplicate
signed and exchanged by the Delegates of the two parties.
This Treaty has been signed on Tuesday, the 1st day of
March, 1337 (1921), corresponding with the 21st day of Dju-
madi-ul-Akhir in the 1339th year of the Hijra.
YOUSSOUF KEMAL.
Dr. REXA NOUR.
MUHAMMAD WALI,
Ambassador Extraordinary.4.1233 Convention for a Defensive Alliance
between the Polish Republic and the Kingdom
of Romania
Alliance Members:Poland and Romania
Signed On:March 3, 1921, in the city of Bucharest (Romania). In
force until September 27, 1939, upon the dissolution of Poland fol-
lowing the German and Russian invasions.
Alliance Type:Defense Pact (Type I)
Source:League of Nations Treaty Series,no. 175, vol. 7, p. 79.SUMMARY
Romania emerged from World War I as a new state with double the
territory it had as part of the Ottoman Empire. Poland’s borders were
redrawn following the war, and both states searched for security
against the potential threat of German expansion. This defensive
alliance, then, provided one opportunity to guarantee a defense of the
then territorial status quo for both parties.
The terms of the agreement specify that in the event of any aggression
Poland and Romania would provide mutual assistance to the state
attacked, including a declaration of war against the attacking state.
Consultations and coordination through the alliance, as well as assur-
ances against coordination with parties outside the alliance, acted as a
consistent effort to counter any threats to the two territories.
The agreement lasted until Romania withheld military assistance to
Poland during the German invasion that began World War II; the
Nazi-Soviet occupation crushed Poland and ended this alliance by late
September 1939.Alliance Text
Being firmly resolved to safeguard a peace which was gained at
the price of so many sacrifices,
the Chief of the State of the Polish Republic and His Majesty
the King of Roumania have agreed to conclude a Convention
for a defensive alliance.
For this purpose they have named as their plenipotentiaries:
For the Chief of the State of the Polish Republic: Prince
Eustache Sapieha, His Minister for Foreign Affairs; and
For His Majesty the King of Roumania: M. Take Jonesco,
His Minister for Foreign Affairs,
Who, after exchanging their full powers, found in good and
due form, agreed to the following articles:
Article 1. Poland and Roumania undertake to assist each
other in the event of their being the object of an unprovoked
attack on their present eastern frontiers.
Accordingly, if either State is the object of an unprovoked
attack, the other shall consider itself in a state of war and shall
render armed assistance.
Article 2. In order to co-ordinate their efforts to maintain
peace, both Governments undertake to consult together on