Strongly determined to preserve peace won at the price of great sacrifices and, having in mind the Pact of the League of Nations and the situation created by the Treaty of Trianon of 4 June 1920 between the Allies and the associated Powers, on the one hand, and Hungary, on the other, the President of Czechoslovakia and the King of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes agreed to conclude a defence convention.
For that purpose they appointed their Plenipotentiary Delegates:
The President of the Czechoslovak Republic:
Mr. Eduard Benes, Minister of Foreign Affairs.
His Majesty The King of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes:
Mr. Momčilo Ninčić, LLD, Minister of Trade and Industry, Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Who, after exchanging their Full Powers which were found to be in good and prescribed form, decided as follows:
Article 1
In the case of an unprovoked attack by Hungary on either High Contracting Party, the other Party shall come to aid of the attacked Party.
Article 2
The competent technical authorities shall decide by mutual agreement on the necessary measures to give effect to this Treaty.
Article 3
Neither Contracting Party shall enter into alliance with a third State before notifying the other Party to the Treaty to that effect.
Article 4
The present Treaty shall be valid for a period of two years counting from the date of its ratification, and upon the expiry of this period each Contracting Party may cancel it. The Treaty shall continue in force for a period of six moths following the notice of cancellation.
Article 5
The League of Nations shall be notified of the present Treaty.
Article 6
The present convention shall be ratified and the instruments of ratification shall be exchanged in Belgrade as soon as possible.
In witness whereof the above mentioned Plenipotentiaries signed the present Treaty and affixed their seals thereto. Done in Belgrade on 14 August 1920, in two copies.
(Signed) Mo. Ninčić
(Signed) Dr. Eduard Beneš
The instruments of ratification were exchanged on 10 November 1921.
Source: J. Jovanović, The Diplomatic History of New Europe, H, p. 137.B.
B. Krizman, The Foreign Policy of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia 1918-1941, p. 156
The Official Journal, 1920, hr. 253
Martens NRG, 3ème série, t. XII, p. 846.
Recueil des Traites de la SDN, v. VI, p. 209.
Note. - The present Treaty (Convention) is the consequence of the policy of revanchism of the Hungarian government which was noticeable even before the signing of the Trianon Peace Treaty in 1920 through a demonstration of intolerance towards the new neighbouring States (Czechoslovakia, Romania and Yugoslavia). The conflicts with Yugoslavia in connection with Baranja and the Hungarian support for the Croat emigres, followers of Franko; in connection with the open campaign of agitation and the claim for the return of the whole of Slovakia; the dissatisfaction due to the loss of Erdelj (Romanian Transylvania), and the keeping of a numerically strong army under arms, brought the three neighbouring States closer together because of the fear from the above mentioned Hungarian revanchism, which resulted in the conclusion fo bilateral defence treaties between them later on dubbed "Little Entente". This name was first used by the Hungarian press but it came into general use later on. The negotiations for the conclusion of alliance were conducted between Pašić and Trumbić, and Benes. France lent its support through the policy of safeguarding the "Versailles system" and the so-called sanitary cordon towards the USSR.
CONVENTION ON THE DEFENCE ALLIANCE BETWEEN THE KINGDOM OF ROMANIA AND THE REPUBLIC OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA
Bucharest, 23 April 1921
Strongly determined to preserve peace won at the price of great sacrifice and, bearing in mind the Pact of the League of Nations and the situation created by the Treaty of Trianon of 4 June 1920 between the Allies and associated Powers, on the one hand, and Hungary, on the other,
The President of the Republic of Czechoslovakia and His Majesty The King of Romania agreed to conclude a defence Convention.
For that purpose they appointed their Plenipotentiary Delegates:
The President of the Republic of Czechoslovakia:
Mr. Ferdinand Veverka, Minister Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Czechoslovakia in Bucharest:
His Majesty The King of Romania:
Mr. Take Ionescu, Minister of State, Department of Foreign Affairs,
Who, after exchanging their Full Powers, which were found to be in good and prescribed form, agreed upon the following Articles:
Article 1
In the case of an unprovoked attack by Hungary on either High Contracting Party, the other Party shall come to aid the attacked Party in accordance with the Treaty provided for in Art. 2 of the present Convention.
Article 2
The competent technical authorities of the Republic of Czechoslovakia and the Kingdom of Romania shall decide subsequently by mutual agreement on the necessary measures for the implementation of the present Convention, in a separate military convention.
Article 3
Neither Contracting Party shall enter into alliance with a third State before notifying the other Party to the Convention to that effect.
Article 4
In order to coordinate work, both governments undertake to stick to foreign policy issues associated with their relations with Hungary.
Article 5
The present Convention shall remain in force for a period of two years from the date of its ratification. The said period shall be respected by each Signatory to the Convention but each of Party shall have the possibility of terminating the present Convention. The Convention shall remain in force for a period of six months after the date of its cancellation.
Article 6
This Convention shall be ratified and the instruments of ratification shall be exchanged in Bucharest as soon as possible.
In witness whereof the afore-mentioned Plenipotentiaries signed the Convention and affixed their seals thereto. Done in Bucharest on 23 April 1921, in two copies.
(Signed) Ferdinand Veverka, LLD
(Signed) Take Ionescu
Source: Recueil des Traités de la SDN, vol. 6, p. 216-218, 1921.
M. Vancu, Little Entente, pp. 347-348.
Note: The readiness of Romania in principle to have talks with Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia about relations with Hungary was accelerated by the visit of Karl of Habsburg to Budapest in March 1921, opposed by Horti, but under the pressure of the Powers he was forced to leave the country. This reaffirmed Romania in the conviction that it should reinforce its alliance with Belgrade and Prague. Consequently, Treaty on Defence Alliance with Czechoslovakia was signed on 23 April, and with Yugoslavia on 7 June. Later on, the military conventions were signed with both these countries. The content of the Convention is identical to the Yugoslav-Czechoslovak Treaty on Defence Alliance of 14 August 1920.
CONVENTION ON DEFENCE ALLIANCE BETWEEN ROMANIA AND THE KINGDOM OF SERBS, CROATS AND SLOVENES
Belgrade, 7 June 1921
Strongly determined to preserve peace won at the price of great sacrifices and the order established under the Treaty concluded in Trianon on 4 June 1920 between the Allied and Associated Powers, on the one hand, and Hungary, on the other, and under the Treaty of Neuilly of 27 November 1919 concluded between the Allies and Bulgaria, His Majesty The King of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and His Majesty The King of Romania agreed to conclude a defence Convention.
For that purpose the appointed their plenipotentiary delegates:
His Majesty The King of Romania:
Mr. Take Ionescu, Minister of Foreign Affairs;
His Majesty The King of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes:
Mr. Nikola Pašić, President of the Council of Ministers, Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Who, after exchanging their Full Powers which were found to be in good and prescribed form, defined the following Articles:
Article 1
In the case of an unprovoked attack by Hungary or Bulgaria on either High Contracting Party with the intent to reverse the order established under the Treaties of Trianon and Neuilly, respectively, the other Contracting Party undertakes to come to the aid of the attacked Party in conformity with the Treaty referred to in Article 2 of the present Convention.
Article 2
The competent technical authorities of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and the Kingdom of Romania shall decide by mutual agreement about the implementation of the present Convention, in a separate military convention which shall be concluded as soon as possible.
Article 3
Neither High Contracting Party shall enter into alliance with a third State before notifying the other Party to that effect.
Article 4
In order to coordinate work both governments undertake to hold mutual consultations on foreign policy matters concerning their relations with Hungary.
Article 5
The present Convention shall be in force for a period of two years from the date of its ratification. Each Signatory to the Convention shall respect this period of validity but shall have the possibility of cancelling the Convention, which shall remain in force for another six months following the date of cancellation.
Article 6
The present Convention shall be notified to the League of Nations (Pact of the League of Nations).
Article 7
The present Convention is subject to ratification and the instruments of ratification shall be exchanged as soon as possible. In witness whereof the above mentioned Plenipoteniaries have signed it and affixed their seals thereto.
Done in Belgrade on 7 June 1921, in two copies.
(Signed) Take Jonesko
(Signed) Nikola P. Pašić
Source: J. Jovanović, The Diplomatic History of New Europe, II, p. 138.
B. Krizman, The Foreign Policy of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia 1918-1941, p. 156.
Martens, NRG, 3eme serie, t. XVIII, p. 329.
Recueildes traités SDN, v. LIV, p. 257.
Note. - The validity of this Treaty was extended by the Protocol signed in Bucharest on 7 July 1923. See Recueil des traites SDN, v. LIV, p. 260; Martens, NRG, 3eme serie, t. XVIII, p. 652.
