Treaty of Non-Aggression between the Balkan Entente and BulgariaParticipating Powers in order to take account of any
change in the situation.
V. The Participating Powers agree that, in order to simplify
the operation of the above-mentioned measures, they will for
their part restrict the use of their submarines in the Mediter-
ranean in the following manner:
(a) Except as stated in (b) and (c) below, no submarine will
be sent to sea within the Mediterranean.
(b) Submarines may proceed on passage after notification to
the other Participating Powers, provided that they pro-
ceed on the surface and are accompanied by a surface
ship.
(c) Each Participating Power reserves for purposes of exer-
cises certain areas defined in Annex I hereto in which its
submarines are exempt from the restrictions mentioned
in (a) or (b).
The Participating Powers further undertake not to allow the
presence in their respective territorial waters of any foreign sub-
marines except in case of urgent distress, or where the condi-
tions prescribed in sub-paragraph (b) above are fulfilled.
VI. The Participating Powers also agree that, in order to sim-
plify the problem involved in carrying out the measures above
described, they may severally advise their merchant shipping to
follow certain main routes in the Mediterranean agreed upon
between them and defined in Annex II hereto.
VII. Nothing in the present agreement restricts the right of
any Participating Power to send its surface vessels to any part of
the Mediterranean.
VIII. Nothing in the present agreement in any way prejudices
existing international engagements which have been registered
with the Secretariat of the League of Nations.
IX. If any of the Participating Powers notifies its intention of
withdrawing from
the present Arrangement, the notification will take effect
after the expiry of thirty days and any of the other Participating
Powers may withdraw on the same date if it communicates its
intention to this effect before that date.
Done at Nyon, this fourteenth day of September nineteen
hundred and thirty-seven, in a single copy., in the English and
French languages, both texts being equally authentic, and which
will be deposited in the archives of the Secretariat of the League
of Nations.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ire-
land: Anthony EDEN.
Bulgaria: G. KIOSSÉIVANOFF.
N. MOMTCHILOFF.
Egypt: Wacyf BOUTROS-GHALL.
H. AFIFI.
France: Yvon DELBOS.
Greece: N. MAVROUDIS.
N. POLITIS.
S. POLYCHRONIADIS.
Rumania: Victor ANTONESCO.
Turkey: Dr. R. ARAS.
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics: Maxime LITVI-
NOFF.
Yugoslavia: Bojidar POURITCH.4.1294 Treaty of Non-Aggression between the
Balkan Entente and Bulgaria
Alliance Members:Yugoslavia, Greece, Romania, Turkey, and Bulgaria
Signed On:July 31, 1938, in the city of Thessalonica (Greece). In force
until September 8, 1940, when Romania was forced by Germany to
cede contested territory to Bulgaria.
Alliance Type:Non-Aggression Pact (Type II)
Source:League of Nations Treaty Series,vol. 196, p. 372.SUMMARY
In 1919, as part of the peace of World War I, Bulgaria was forced to sign
the Treaty of Neuilly. This treaty required that Bulgaria give up con-
tested land near Rumania called Dobruja, stop conscription, decrease
the number of its armaments, and pay reparations to the victors. The
1923 Treaty of Lausanne reinforced these sanctions on Bulgaria.
As the Italian and German foreign policies turned more expansionist,
the states of central Europe sought Bulgaria as a potential ally, and on
July 31, 1938, the five nations of the Balkan Entente signed an agree-
ment renouncing the military sanctions that had been imposed on
Bulgaria. This renouncement received the immediate approval of
Great Britain, France, and Italy. In addition to a non-aggression pact
among all parties, Greece signed a commercial accord with Bulgaria
while Yugoslavia agreed to reduce the level of armaments stationed at
its border with Bulgaria.
Despite the 1938 agreement, relations among the Balkan countries
never normalized. The Dobruja territory continued to be a stumbling
block for relations between Romania and Bulgaria. By September of
1940, relations between the two countries plummeted, and Germany
forced Romania to sign a treaty giving Dobruja to Bulgaria. The new
treaty violated the spirit, if not the letter, of the 1938 agreement, and
in 1939 Bulgaria sided with Germany in the war.Alliance Text
Whereas Bulgaria is an adherent of the policy of consolidation
of peace in the Balkans, and is desirous of maintaining relations
of good neighbourhood and full and frank collaboration with
the Balkan States, and
Whereas the States of the Balkan Entente are animated by
the same pacific spirit in relation to Bulgaria and the same
desire of co-operation,
Now therefore the undersigned:
His Excellency Monsieur Georges Kiosséivanov, President of
the Council of Ministers, Bulgarian Minister for Foreign Affairs
and Public Worship, of the one part, and
His Excellency Monsieur Jean Metaxas, President of the
Council of Ministers, Greek Minister for Foreign Affairs, acting
in his capacity as President in Office of the Permanent Council