What is the goal of those who oppose Lausanne?

The attitude of the imperialism-backed PKK terrorist organization and its political extension, the DEM Party, against the Republic of Turkey and the Turkish Nation continues unabated. Influenced by the climate created by the rhetoric of a "terror-free Turkey," which is described in public opinion as the second opening process, both the terrorist organization's leader, the baby killer, in his statements and letters, and the DEM Party executives in their statements and press conferences, are taking a stand against the Treaty of Lausanne and the 1924 Constitution.

We know that opposition to the 1924 Constitution is proof of a longing for the pre-Republican era. Opposition to Lausanne, on the other hand, is support for Sèvres. Therefore, minds must be clear on these issues. Without ideological clarity, political consistency, and conceptual awareness, neither success in politics is possible, nor can one fight against imperialism.

Let us recall that the Lausanne Negotiations began on November 20, 1922, three days after Sultan Vahdettin fled to the island of Malta on the British battleship Malaya on November 17, 1922. The states participating in the negotiations were: Great Britain, France, Italy, Greece, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, and Japan; and for the discussions regarding the Straits, the Soviet Union, Romania, and Bulgaria as states bordering the Black Sea.

The USA, having not fought against the Ottoman Empire in the First World War, participated in the Lausanne Conference as an observer. The USA, which entered the war by declaring war on Germany in 1917, did not declare war on the Ottoman Empire, Germany's ally, despite intense pressure from its ally Great Britain and fierce debates in US public opinion.

The toughest negotiations in Lausanne took place between Turkey and Great Britain. The most difficult negotiation topics were the capitulations and the Armenia that imperialism wanted to establish on Turkish lands. In fact, the Allied Powers were angry because they could not solve the Eastern Question, which was on their minds, in the way they wanted—that is, they could not succeed in sending the Turks from Anatolia to Central Asia. Therefore, the Eastern Question has been on their minds ever since. This situation was also reflected in the official name of the conference in Lausanne: Lausanne Conference on Near Eastern Affairs.

To better understand Lausanne, one must remember these few wars: The Crimean War of 1853–1856, during which the Ottoman Empire received its first foreign debt. The 1877–1878 Ottoman-Russian War (the 93 War). The 1911–1912 Italo-Turkish War. The 1912–1913 Balkan Wars. The 1914–1918 First World War. The 1919–1923 War of Independence.

Let us repeat, in Lausanne, not only the accounts of the First World War and the subsequent War of Independence were settled, but the accounts of centuries were settled. Gazi Mustafa Kemal Pasha also determined this situation in the 3-page, 14-item instruction list he gave to İsmet Pasha while he was going to the conference. These were especially the articles regarding national borders, capitulations, the Armenian homeland, and the Turkish Straits.

THE MESSAGE GIVEN FROM IZMIR TO LAUSANNE

Let us remind you that the Turkey Economic Congress, widely known as the İzmir Economic Congress, was held between February 17 and March 4, 1923. The congress was timed to coincide with the period when the Lausanne negotiations were paused. A message was also intended to be sent to the West. Mustafa Kemal Pasha stated at the opening of the congress that no matter how great military and political victories might be, they must be completed and crowned with economic victories, and he emphasized that the Turkey Economic Congress was as important as the Erzurum Congress. It should be remembered that before the Erzurum Congress (July 23 – August 7, 1919), more than 30 congresses of various sizes were held in Anatolia, and some of these were even before Mustafa Kemal Pasha landed in Samsun.

At the economic congress in İzmir, there were workers, industrialists, merchants, and farmers; everyone was there. It was convened based on the principle of professional representation. Moreover, İzmir is an important city. It is a city known as a developed, coastal city with a vibrant social life, a city that opens up to the West. It is both the city that heralded that the armed phase of the war was over and the Greek armies were defeated, and it was not under occupation at that time like Istanbul.

The idea of the congress was first proposed to Atatürk by the Minister of Economy Mahmut Esat Bozkurt on November 12, 1922. The economic orientation of the state was discussed in a total of 30 sessions over 16 days at the congress. 1135 delegates participated, and 302 decisions were taken. A summary of these decisions was announced by Mustafa Kemal Pasha in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on April 8, 1923, as the Nine Principles Declaration. These articles formed the basis of the first party program of the Republican People's Party, which was officially founded on September 9, 1923. Two important representatives from the USSR, Aralov and Ibrahim Abilov, were also present at the congress.

IMPERIALISM'S HATRED FOR ATATÜRK NEVER ENDS

Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who defeated imperialism not once but many times, both on the battlefield and at the political and diplomatic table; because he is an example to all oppressed nations and downtrodden peoples with these qualities and, furthermore, with the Republic he founded, imperialism's opposition to Atatürk never ends.

Atatürk is a soldier who advocates for peace. He is a revolutionary and a statesman who advocates for peace. He saw war as a crime unless the life of the nation was at stake, and he considered fighting only and exclusively for the life, future, and independence of the nation to be necessary, just, and legitimate. Therefore, he primarily adopted diplomacy. He used diplomacy effectively. There was no public diplomacy at that time. However, Atatürk signed the most beautiful examples of this as well, from the Karadeniz steamship to the İzmir International Fair.

With his character traits, Atatürk is a pioneer and courageous. He is a determined, hardworking, ambitious, responsible, duty-bound, resilient, talented, knowledgeable, articulate, and persuasive leader who knows what he wants, is effective, cool-headed, and outspoken. These traits have always stood out in the observations of British, French, German, American, and Soviet commanders, journalists, and diplomats who conducted studies on Atatürk, met with him as soldiers, politicians, diplomats, or journalists, shared their views, and wrote their memoirs.

In summary, Atatürk is a leader who knows history, understands the period and the era he lived in very well, and foresees the future with high accuracy. He is a genius of timing. He is a master of strategy. He has a very rich intellectual background, depth, and infrastructure. Therefore, his intellectual preparation is very strong. He is rational and realistic. Both his education and experience have always made Atatürk an organizer and organized.