Bingöl Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi

Öz

Several conflicts were experienced
between the Ottomans and Iran throughout history. In these conflicts, the issue
of borders has always been a significant problem in the agenda. After the early
19th century, The Treaty of Erzurum was signed in 1847 with the mediation of
the United Kingdom and Russia to eliminate the tensions between the two
countries.

The precise solution of
the borders of the two states, which are included in the final text of the
above-mentioned treaty, was left to the joint commission that would meet at a
later date. Accordingly, it was decided to convene the commission in Baghdad in
1849 with the participation of the delegates of four states (Ottoman Empire,
Iran, U.K. and Russia). The Ottoman delegation in this conference, presided by
Dervish Pasha, arrived at Kotur, located in the east of Van province, before
they arrived at Baghdad. Dervish Pasha determined the borders with the
assumption that it was Ottoman land under Iranian occupation at that time.
Thus, from 1849 onwards, a serious controversy started between the Ottomans and
Iran about the land of Kotur. The mediating states, the U.K. and Russia, were
also involved in this debate. In this process, the Ottoman State did not cede
Kotur to Iran despite all pressures.

These tensions about
Kotur continued until the 1877-1878 Ottoman-Russian War. The Treaty of Hagia
Stephanos, which was signed after this war, referred to Kotur, and in Berlin
Treaty, which was signed later, it was ruled that this area should be ceded to
Iran. According to the treaty, the secession of Kotur to Iran was required,
however then the discussions on definition of the land of Kotur and which
sections should be ceded to Iran commenced and lasted for a long period of
time.

The present study
addressed the discussions on the borders of Kotur, ceded by to Iran Ottoman
Empire. Especially, based on the documents available in Ottoman archives, Kotur
area and its various maps, the officers assigned by the Ottoman government and
the reports they wrote about this issue between 1879 and 1884, the attitude of
Iran, the attitude of Britain and Russia, the fact that Ottomans desired the
resolution of not only the Kotur issue, but the resolution of the whole issue
of Ottoman-Iran border disputes were emphasized in the present study.