Treaty of Non-Aggression among Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, and Turkey4.1290 Italo-Yugoslav Agreement of March 25,
1937
Alliance Members:Italy and Yugoslavia
Signed On:March 25, 1937, in the city of Belgrade (Serbia). In force
until April 20, 1941, when Yugoslavia lost its independence to Ger-
many.
Alliance Type:Neutrality Pact (Type II)
Source:British Foreign and State Papers,vol. 141, p. 1119.
SUMMARY
This no-attack agreement represented for Yugoslavia a turn away from
the Little Entente of the central states. By allying with Italy, the
Yugoslav government hoped to avoid the dangers of Italian and Ger-
man expansionism. The signing of the Hitler-Stalin Pact in 1939, the
occupation of Bessarabia (Romania) by the Soviets soon after, and the
granting of Transylvania by Italy and Germany to Hungary made it
clear that the policy of Axis appeasement would soon fail.
Yugoslav leaders were summoned to Berchtesgaden, Hitler’s retreat,
where they were told by the Germans that if the Yugoslav leadership
joined the Tripartite Pact the Germans would confine themselves to
Yugoslav roads and railways when they attacked Greece or any other
neighbor. The alternative would be a march of German forces through
the countryside. Prince Paul, the Yugoslav leader, relented and signed
the Tripartite Pact on March 25, 1941. When pro-French and anti-
German Serbian populations in Yugoslavia heard the news, they
organized a violent demonstration in Belgrade. With the help of
British agents, the Yugoslavs deposed Prince Paul and replaced him
with Prince Peter, the son of former King Alexander. Upon taking the
throne, Peter redirected Yugoslav foreign policy away from the Axis
powers by signing a friendship treaty with the Soviet Union on April
5, 1941. Despite these efforts, Germany and Yugoslavia’s neighbors
quickly invaded and overthrew the new government.
Alliance Text
The Royal Regents in the name of H.M. the King of Yugoslavia
and H.M. the King of Italy, Emperor of Ethiopia, convinced that
it is in the interests of their two countries as well as that of gen-
eral peace to strengthen the bonds of sincere and lasting friend-
ship, and being desirous of providing a new basis for this and of
inaugurating a new era in the political and economic relations
between the two States;
Persuaded that the maintenance and consolidation of a
durable peace between their countries is also an important con-
dition for the peace of Europe;
Have decided to conclude an agreement and to this purpose
have designated as their respective plenipotentiaries:
The Royal Regents in the name of H.M. the King of
Yugoslavia: H.E. Dr. Milan Stoyadinovi ́c, President of the
Council of Ministers, Minister for Foreign Affairs;
H.M. the King of Italy, Emperor of Ethiopia: H.E. Count
Galeazzo Ciano of Cortellazzo, Minister for Foreign Affairs;
Who, after having exchanged their full powers, found in
good and due form, have agreed upon the following provisions:
Article 1.–The High Contracting Parties undertake to
respect their common frontiers on land, as well as the maritime
frontiers of the two States in the Adriatic, and in the event of
either of them being the object of an unprovoked aggression by
one or more Powers, the other Party undertakes to abstain from
any action calculated to benefit the aggressor.
Article 2.–In case of international complications, and if the
two countries are agreed that their common interests are or
may be threatened, they undertake to concert together regard-
ing the measures to be taken to safeguard them.
Article 3.–The two High Contracting Parties reaffirm their
will not to resort to war in their mutual relations as an instru-
ment of their national policy and to resolve by pacific means all
differences and conflicts which may arise between them.
Article 4.–The High Contracting Parties undertake not to
tolerate in their respective territories or aid in any way activities
directed against the territorial integrity or existing order of the
other Contracting Party, or of a nature calculated to prejudice
the friendly relations between the two countries.
Article 5.–In order to give a new impulse to their commercial
relations, in harmony with the amicable relations established
between their two countries, the High Contracting Parties agree
to intensify and expand the present exchange of goods and serv-
ices and to investigate the possibilities of closer economic col-
laboration. Special agreements to this end will be concluded
with a minimum of delay.
Article 6.–The High Contracting Parties agree that nothing
in this agreement should be considered as contrary to the exist-
ing international obligations of the two countries, these obliga-
tions being public.
Article 7.–The present agreement is concluded for a term of
five years. If it is not denounced six months before the lapse of
this time it will be tacitly prolonged year by year.
Article 8.–The present agreement will be ratified. It will enter
into force with the exchange of ratifications. This will take place
at Belgrade as soon as possible.
In faith whereof, the said Plenipotentiaries have signed the
present Agreement.
Done at Belgrade, the twenty-fifth day of March, 1937, in
two copies, of which one has been handed to each of the High
Contracting Parties.4.1291 Treaty of Non-Aggression among the
Kingdom of Afghanistan, the Kingdom of Iraq,
the Empire of Iran, and the Republic of Turkey
Alliance Members:Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, and Turkey
Signed On:July 8, 1937, in the city of Tehran (Iran). In force until
February 15, 1955.
Alliance Type:Non-Aggression Pact (Type II)
Source:League of Nations Treaty Series,vol. 190, p. 23.SUMMARY
This alliance was signed four days after a border agreement between
Iraq and Iran settled some outstanding disputes between the two