The Contracting Parties,

reaffirming their belief in the principles set forth in the Charter of the United Nations,

determined to live in peace with all the peoples and to contribute to the maintenance of international peace,

desirous to consolidate the friendly relations existing between them,

resolved to defend the freedom and independence of their peoples, as well as their territorial integrity against any force exerted from outside,

determined to unite their efforts in order to render more effective the organization of their defence against any aggression from outside and to act in concert collaborate regarding all questions of mutual interest and, particularly, regarding questions concerning their defence,

convinced that the mutual interests of their peoples and all peaceloving peoples require that appropriate measures be taken for the safeguarding of peace and security in this part of the world, pursuant to Article 51 of the United Nations Charter,

Have resolved to conclude this treaty and the Heads of their States have appointed as their respective Plenipotentiaries:

The President of the Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia:

His Excellency Monsieur Koca POPOVIC,
Secretary of State;

His Majesty the King of the Hellenes:

His Excellency Monsieur Stephanos STEPHANOPOULOS,
Minister of Foreign Affairs;

The President of the Turkish Republic:

His Excellency Professor Fuad KÖPRÜLÜ
Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Deputy of Istanbul;

who after exhibiting their full powers and finding them in good and proper form, have agreed upon the following provisions:

Article I

In order to ensure their collaboration permanently, the Contracting Parties shall proceed to consultations concerning all problems of mutual interest.

The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Contracting Parties shall hold a regular conference once a year and, if necessary, more often, in order to examine the international political situation and make appropriate decisions in accordance with the aims of this Treaty.

Article II

The Contracting Parties intend to pursue their mutual efforts for the safeguarding of peace and security in their region and jointly continue to examine the problems of their security, including the concerted measures of defence, which might become necessary in case of a non-provoked aggression against them.

Article III

The General Staffs of the Contracting Parties shall pursue their collaboration in order to submit to their Governments, by common consent, recommendations concerning questions of defence, with a view to making co-ordinated decisions.

Article IV

The Contracting Parties shall develop their collaboration in the economic, technical and cultural spheres; whenever necessary appropriate agreements shall be concluded and necessary organizations set up for the purpose of solving economic, technical and cultural problems.

Article V

The Contracting Parties undertake to settle any dispute which may arise between them by peaceful means, in accordance with the provisions of the United Nations Charter and in a spirit of understanding and friendship; they also undertake to refrain from interfering with the internal affairs of the other Contracting Parties.

Article VI

The Contracting Parties shall refrain from concluding any alliance, or from taking part in any action, directed against anyone of them, or in any action which may be prejudicial to their interests.

Article VII

The Contracting Parties, each for itself, declare that none of the international obligations now in force between them and one or several other States is in contradiction with the provisions of the present Treaty; on the other hand, they engage themselves not to assume in the future any international obligations conflicting with the present Treaty.

Article VIII

This Treaty does not affect, and cannot be interpreted as affecting in any way, the rights and obligations of Greece and Turkey deriving from the North Atlantic treaty of April 4, 1949¹ .

Article IX

After the coming of this Treaty into force any other state, whose collaboration for the realization of the aims of this Treaty is deemed useful by all the Contracting Parties, will be able to accede to the Treaty under the same conditions and with the same rights as the three signatory States.

Each State acceding to this Treaty shall become a Contracting Party of the Treaty by deposing an instrument of accession.

Article X

The present Treaty, whose French version shall be authentic, shall be ratified by all the Contracting Parties and the instruments of ratification shall be deposed with the Secretary of State of the Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia in Beograd; it shall enter into force on the date of deposit of the last instrument of ratification.

At the expiration of five years after the coming into force of the present treaty, each Contracting Party may cease to be a party to the Treaty by notifying the Governments of the other Contracting Parties one year in advance.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed this Treaty.

DONE in Ankara, this twenty-eight day of February one thousand nine hundred and fifty-three, in three copies, one copy being delivered to each Contracting Party.

Koca POPOVIC, m.p

Stephanos STEPHANOPOULOS, m.p.

Fuad KÖPRÜLÜ, m.p.

[Came into force on 29 May 1953, date of deposit with the Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia of the last instrument of ratification, in accordance with Article X. The instruments of ratification were deposited on the following dates: Yugolasvia, 6 April 1953; Greece, 21 May 1953; Turkey, 29 May 1953]