The Montreux Convention Regarding the Abolition of the Capitulations in Egypt was an international convention concluded on May 8, 1937 that led to the abolition of the extraterritorial legal system for foreigners in Egypt, known as the capitulations. It was signed by the governments of

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Medit ...

, the

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, the

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Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

(the Republican side in the

civil war A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

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Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...

, the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

and Sweden. It went into effect on October 15, 1937, and was registered in ''League of Nations Treaty Series'' on the same day.''League of Nations Treaty Series'', vol. 182, pp. 38–103.

Background

The capitulations system was introduced into Egypt in the 19th century as a result of pressure by foreign powers by the Egyptian people. After the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, a wave of nationalism was on the rise in Egypt, and the government, backed by the newly-established

Wafd Party The Wafd Party (; ar, حزب الوفد, ''Ḥizb al-Wafd'') was a nationalist liberal political party in Egypt. It was said to be Egypt's most popular and influential political party for a period from the end of World War I through the 1930 ...

, put growing demands before the British government, which was in control of Egypt, to abolish the capitulations system and to place foreigners under the local Egyptian legal system. As a result, several foreign

consular court Consular courts were law courts established by foreign powers in countries where they had extraterritorial rights. They were presided over by consular officers. Extraterritoriality Western powers when establishing diplomatic relations with coun ...

s were abolished in 1920–1921, while their nationals were placed under British consular jurisdiction. That did not satisfy the demands of the Egyptian government regarding the total abolition of capitulations. A new opportunity arose following the conclusion of the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936, when negotiations began to settle the abolition of capitulations in Egypt. That led to the conclusion of the convention.

Terms

The agreement provided for the total abolition of capitulations and the placing of foreigners in Egypt under the Egyptian legal system. The date set for the abolition of the consular courts was October 15, 1949, after a transition period of 12 years.

References

External links

Text of the convention

* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20101013051022/http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2005/764/chrncls.htm Yunan Labib Rizk, "The end of the third reservation" ''Al-Ahram Weekly'', Issue No. 764 (13 - 19 October 2005) {{DEFAULTSORT:Montreux Convention Regarding The Abolition Of The Capitulations In Egypt 1937 in Egypt Treaties concluded in 1937 Treaties of the Kingdom of Egypt Legal history of Egypt Treaties entered into force in 1937 League of Nations treaties Treaties of the United States Treaties of the United Kingdom Treaties of Belgium Treaties of Denmark Treaties of the Second Spanish Republic Treaties of the French Third Republic Treaties of the Kingdom of Greece Treaties of the Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946) Treaties of the Ethiopian Empire Treaties of Norway Treaties of the Netherlands Treaties of the Estado Novo (Portugal) Treaties of Sweden 1937 in Switzerland Treaties extended to Curaçao and Dependencies Treaties extended to the Dutch East Indies Treaties extended to Surinam (Dutch colony) Treaties extended to the Faroe Islands Treaties extended to Greenland Treaties of Canada Treaties of Australia Treaties of New Zealand Treaties of the Union of South Africa Treaties of the Irish Free State Treaties of British India Diplomatic conferences in Switzerland

Background

Terms

See also

References

External links