THE PROBLEM OF THE MOSUL VILAYET AND THE ANGLO-TURKISH CONFLICT (1922–1926)

Abstract

The State of Iraq emerged after the First World War as a result of a compromise between political and economic interests of the European Great powers. At the present moment, this state is undergoing the most serious test in its history. The prospects of preserving the territorial integrity of the Iraqi state overrode the national borders of Iraq and became major international issues. Today there is no any doubt that the disintegration processes in modern Iraq have a serious conflict potential and can lead to significant socio-political and economic consequences not only in Iraq, but in the global context. The present article consistently reconstructs the history of the conflict around the Mosul vilayet that arose after the First World War as a result of the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. The “Mosul question” became an apple of discord between the British Empire which defended its geopolitical and economic interests in Iraq, and Turkey as the upholder of the Ottoman legacy. Mosul problem became even more sensitive from the perspective of developing and extracting energy resources in the disputed region. The paper chronologically traces the main stages and content of the Anglo-Turkish negotiation process starting with the Lausanne Conference (1922–1923) and until the adoption of the League of Nations decision on Mosul and the further signing in 1926 of the Anglo-Iraqi-Turkish treaty.