DONATELLA BOLECH CECCHI
L'Italia e la Conferenza di Montreux nei documenti britannici
N. 167
Summary — The Italian attack to Ethiopia offered Turkey the long waited opportunity to ask for the revision of the Lausanne Convention on the Straits. Great Britain, who had strongly opposed to Turkish wishes until that moment, fearing the Italian challenge to her supremacy on Eastern Mediterranean, decided to win Ankara to her side. Thanks to London’s assent, Turkish government could summon an international conference on the Straits problem at Montreux in June 1936. Italy refused to participate, pretending she would not take part in any international meeting, as the sanctions adopted against her by the League of Nations were still in force.
Notwithstanding Italy’s abstention, a new convention was signed in July. Italy was left the possibility of joining it later. But only in April 1938, after Turkey had recognized the Italian Empire in Ethiopia and the Anglo-Italian Agreement of April 18, 1938 had improved the relations between London and Rome and restored peace in the Mediterranean, Italy accepted the new Straits régime, acceding to the Convention of Montreux.