L’attitude de la Serbie envers la Grèce, et la question de la Thrace occidentale à la Conférence de Lausanne 1922-1923

Abstract

On the eve of the Lausanne Conference Greece launched its diplomatic
efforts to contain Turkey’s expansion, to scale down Bulgaria’s territorial
ambitions in Western Thrace and deter Serbia from establishing a free zone in
Salonica’s port. At the same time, Greece was facing enormous internal
socioeconomic problems and political tensions caused by the Asia Minor defeat
in 1922. Under the circumstances the Greek Government sought the diplomatic backing of Serbia, Greece’s only regional ally since 1913. However, the rapprochement between Serbia and Bulgaria affected adversely Greek-Serbian relations. An important event was the resulting signature by Greece and
Serbia of the Belgrade Convention on May 10 1923, about the status of the
Serbian free zone in Salonica. Nevertheless, Serbia fully supported Greece on
the question of Thrace at the Lausanne Conference and helped her contain
Bulgarian revisionist ambitions and confront Turkish territorial demands at
the same area.