Algeciras Conference
To ratify European intervention in Morocco following the First Moroccan Crisis | |
---|---|
Signed | 7 April 1906 |
Location | Algeciras, Spain |
Sealed | 18 June 1906 |
Signatories | |
Languages | French, English and Spanish |
The Algeciras Conference[a] of 1906 took place in Algeciras, Spain, and lasted from 16 January to 7 April. The purpose of the conference was to find a solution to the First Moroccan Crisis of 1905 between France and Germany, which arose as Germany responded to France's effort to establish a protectorate over the independent state of Morocco.[1] Germany was not trying to stop French expansion. Its goal was to enhance its own international prestige, and it failed badly.[2] The result was a much closer relationship between France and Britain that strengthened the Entente Cordiale since both London and Paris were increasingly suspicious and distrustful of Berlin.[3] An even more momentous consequence was the heightened sense of frustration and readiness for war in Germany that spread beyond the political elite to much of the press and most of the political parties except for the Liberals and Social Democrats on the left.
The
Background
Britain and France's Entente Cordiale of 1904 had defined diplomatic cooperation between them and recognized British authority over Egypt and French control in Morocco (with some Spanish concessions). Germany saw that development putting an end to the rivalry between Britain and France, which would further isolate Germany in European affairs.
On 31 March 1905, Germany's Kaiser
Germany had hoped that the conference would weaken the Entente Cordiale. Wilhelm II had thought he could form an alliance with France if most of its demands were met.
Following its failed attempt to isolate Britain, Germany furthered the growing
The next major event to thicken the tension between them would be the Bosnian Crisis.[7]
Moroccan delegation
Sultan Abdelaziz of Morocco was represented by Muhammad al-Muqri and Muhammad Torres.[8] Al-Muqri expressed frustration at the translation situation and commented: "We're sitting here like statues; we can't understand a thing of what is said."[9] The Moroccan delegation had no choice but to use Abdelqader Benghabrit, an Algerian translator who was present at the conference in the service of France.[8]
Another difficulty the Moroccans faced was the difficulty of contacting the sultan, who should have been informed of every detail of what transpired at the conference. The researcher Bazegh Abdessamad wrote:
"No decision could be made—whether affirmative or negative—without his instruction and ordinance. The representatives of the US and European nations could easily contact their capitals to consult their respective governments, while Fes had no telephone or telegraph, nor was it served by any rail or paved road that would allow them to inform the sultan of developments at the conference."[10]
Outcome
The final Act of the conference was signed on 7 April 1906 and covered the organisation of Morocco's police and customs, regulations concerning the repression of the smuggling of armaments and concessions to the European bankers from a new
The Sultan of Morocco retained control of a police force in the six port cities, which was to be composed entirely of Moroccan
At the last moment, the Moroccan delegates found that they were unable to sign the final Act, but a decree of Sultan Abdelaziz of Morocco on 18 June finally ratified it.
Attendees
- Germany – Joseph Maria von Radowitz, Jr.and Christian, Count of Tattenbach
- Austro-Hungary – Rudolph, Count of Welsersheimb and Leopold, Count Bolesta-Koziebrodzki
- Belgium – Baron Maurice Joostens and Conrad, Count of Buisseret Steenbecque
- Spain – Don Juan Pérez-Caballero y Ferrer and Juan Manuel Sánchez, Duke of Almodóvar del Río
- United States – Samuel R Gummere
- France – ,
- United Kingdom – Arthur Nicolson, 1st Baron Carnock
- Italy – Emilio, marquis Visconti-Venostaand Giulio Malmusi
- Morocco – El Hadj Muhammad Torres and El Hadj Mohammed Ben Abdesselam El Mokri
- Netherlands – Jonkheer Hannibal Testa
- Portugal – António Maria Tovar de Lemos Pereira (Count of Tovar) and Francisco Roberto da Silva Ferrão de Carvalho Martens (Count of Martens Ferrão)
- Russian Empire – Arthur, Count Cassini and Basile de Bacheracht
- Sweden – Robert Sager
See also
- International relations of the Great Powers (1814–1919)
- Entente Cordiale 1904
- First Moroccan Crisis March 1905–May 1906
- Bombardment of Casablanca (1907)
- Hafidiya
- Second Moroccan Crisis1911
- Causes of World War I
Notes
- Arabic: مؤتمر الجزيرة الخضراء
References
- ^ a b c "The Algeciras Conference of 1906". History Learning Site. May 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
- OCLC 233840812.
At Algeciras, close Anglo-French collaboration forced Berlin to accept a diplomatic defeat.
- ^ Jones, 2006)
- ^ Immanuel Geiss, German Foreign Policy 1871–1914 (1976) 133–136.
- ^ Heather Jones, "Algeciras Revisited: European Crisis and Conference Diplomacy, 16 January–7 April 1906." (EUI WorkingPaper MWP 2009/1, 2009), p 5 online
- ISBN 9780141399744.
- ^ Margaret MacMillan, The War That Ended Peace: The Road to 1914(2012) pp 378–398.
- ^ a b ""شروط الخزيرات" .. حقيقة أشهر مؤتمر قرر في مصير المغرب". Hespress (in Arabic). 14 July 2013. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
- ^ ""شروط الخزيرات" .. حقيقة أشهر مؤتمر قرر في مصير المغرب". Hespress (in Arabic). 14 July 2013. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
إننا جالسون هنا شبه تماثيل، لا نستطيع أن نفهم شيئا مما يقال
- ^ ""شروط الخزيرات" .. حقيقة أشهر مؤتمر قرر في مصير المغرب". Hespress (in Arabic). 14 July 2013. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
الباحث بازغ عبد الصمد يقول "..ومن المشاكل الكبرى أيضا التي كانت تقض مضجع الوفد المغربي في المؤتمر صعوبة الاتصال بالسلطان الذي كان لابد من إطلاعه على كل كبيرة وصغيرة مما يجري في المؤتمر، ولا يمكن اتخاذ أي قرار بنفي أو إثبات، قبول أو اعتراض، إلا طبق تعليماته وما يأذن به. فممثلو الدول الأوربية والأمريكية كانوا يستطيعون الاتصال بعواصم بلدانهم لاستشارة حكوماتهم بسهولة، أما فاس عاصمة المملكة فلم يكن بها تلفون ولا تلغراف ولا تفضي إليها سكك حديدية ولا طرق سيارة معبدة، تمكن من إطلاع السلطان في قصره على مداولات المؤتمر."
- ^ ""شروط الخزيرات" .. حقيقة أشهر مؤتمر قرر في مصير المغرب". Hespress (in Arabic). 14 July 2013. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
- ^ "Algeciras Conference". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
- ISBN 978-9954211380.
- ISBN 978-0520251175.
Further reading
- Anderson, Eugene N. The First Moroccan Crisis, 1904–1906 (U of Chicago Press, 1930) online
- Eastman, Anthony F. "The Algeciras Conference, 1906." The Southern Quarterly 1 (January 1969):185–205 online
- Esthus, Raymond A, Theodore Roosevelt and the International Rivalries (1970) pp 88–111.
- Fay, Sidney Bradshaw. The Origins of the World War (Vol. 1. Macmillan, 1930) pp 168–191. online
- Geiss, Immanuel. German Foreign Policy 1871–1914 (1976) 133–136.
- Jones, Heather. "Algeciras Revisited: European Crisis and Conference Diplomacy, 16 January–7 April 1906." (EUI WorkingPaper MWP 2009/1, 2009). online
- MacMillan, Margaret. The War That Ended Peace: The Road to 1914(2012) pp 378–398
- Rogers, Marjorie Lucille, "The conference of Algeciras 1906." (Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper #1884, U of Louisville thesis, 1933). https://doi.org/10.18297/etd/1884 online 98 pages