In Ankara, on 28 February 1953, the Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia, the Kingdom of Greece and the Turkish Republic sign the Treaty of Friendship and Collaboration (Agreement of Friendship and Cooperation / Balkan Pact of 1953). The plenipotentiaries are Koča Popović (Yugoslavia), Stephanos Stephanopoulos (Greece) and Fuad Köprülü (Turkey). The instrument is executed in three copies; languages include Greek, Serbo-Croatian and Turkish. It enters into force on 29 May 1953 upon deposit of the last instrument of ratification.

The preamble reaffirms the principles of the United Nations Charter, the determination to live in peace, to consolidate friendly relations, to defend freedom, independence and territorial integrity against any force from outside, and to unite efforts for defence against external aggression pursuant to Article 51 of the Charter.

Article I provides for permanent consultations on problems of mutual interest; the Foreign Ministers shall hold a regular conference once a year and, if necessary, more often. Article II undertakes that the Parties shall pursue mutual efforts for peace and security in their region and jointly examine security problems, including concerted defence measures that might become necessary in case of unprovoked aggression against them.

Article III requires the General Staffs to pursue collaboration in order to submit to their Governments, by common consent, recommendations concerning defence. Article IV provides for collaboration in the economic, technical and cultural spheres, with appropriate agreements and organisations. Article V undertakes peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with the UN Charter and refraining from interference in internal affairs. Article VI forbids any alliance or action directed against any one of them. Article VII declares that existing international obligations are not in contradiction with the Treaty and that the Parties will not assume conflicting obligations in the future.

Greece and Turkey have been NATO members since 18 February 1952; Yugoslavia, after the 1948 Tito–Stalin split, remains a socialist non-aligned state but de facto associates with the Western defence system. A later military treaty is signed at Bled on 9 August 1954. Stalin’s death, Soviet–Yugoslav détente and the Cyprus dispute weaken the pact; it is not the Balkan Entente of 1934.

Image: Stephanos Stephanopoulos; public domain / Wikimedia Commons. Cropped to 16:9.

Source consulted: Balkan Pact (1953). Treaty text: Treaty of Friendship and Collaboration, Ankara, 28 February 1953 (Avalon).