أتفاقية سايكس بيكو والمخططات البريطانية بشأن مستقبل كردستان الجنوبية (1916-1918)
Volume 19 , Issue 3 , May 2018 , Pages 611-628
Authors
1 قسم التاریخ / كلیة التربیة / الجامعة المستنصریة
10.17656/jzsb.10636
Keywords
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Throughout their long history, whether prior to joining Islam in the first third of the seventh century A.C. or after that, Kurds had never formed any independent political entity showing the features of a state. Their original homeland was divided among three countries: Turkey, Iraq, and Iran, in addition to some internal concentrations within Syria and Russia. They had to live between two major powers: the Ottoman State and Iran, which were fighting over spheres of influence in the Islamic East until they reached an agreement over splitting Kurdish regions between them by virtue of Zahab agreement (1639).
In the years leading to World War One, national feelings grew among Kurds, and they started newspapers and associations. However, the breakout of the war and major powers settlements regarding the future of Kurdistan, which was one topic of the secret discussions of Sykes-Picot Agreement, aborted any project of union they had in mind and worsened their problem, as those countries, especially France and Great Britain, began thinking of taking over Kurdish lands.
Sykes-Picot Agreement set the first plans to divide Kurdistan among Great Britain, France, and Russia as war spoils taken from the Ottoman Empire, the losing side in World War One. The Agreement stated that Mosul Vilayet, which formed Southern Kurdistan (Iraqi Kurdistan), was to be annexed by France, in addition to giving the latter Western Kurdistan (Syrian Kurdistan); most of Northern Kurdistan, situated in South-East Anatolia, was to be annexed by Russia, whereas Eastern Kurdistan (Iranian Kurdistan) remained controlled by Iran, with no changes.
When the Russian Revolution broke out in October 1917, the new Regime there denounced all prior agreements made with the Allies, waiving all of the rights given to Russia by Sykes-Picot Agreement, including its rights in Northern Kurdistan. Therefore, the division plan was reconsidered in light of recent developments imposed by World War One conditions. Britain decided to keep Mosul Vilayet, including all of Southern Kurdistan lands, after it had completed its occupation in 1981 in return for giving 10% of its oil revenues to France.
The aim of this study to investigating the essence of the Kurdish problem, how Kurdistan became a part of the British Policy and goals in Mosul Vilayet, and the economic and strategic significance of that position for British existence in Iraq.
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