The project of international condominium over Mount Athos in 1913: Russian diplomatic initiative for creating an Orthodox protectorate

the article examines the "Draft Convention concerning Mount Athos between Russia, Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, Romania and Montenegro", developed in March 1913 at the Russian embassy in Constantinople. The document represented an attempt to create an international condominium of Orthodox powers over the Holy Mountain of Athos after its liberation from Ottoman rule as a result of the First Balkan War. The project was prepared by the first dragoman of the embassy A.N. Mandelstam on the instructions of ambassador M.N. Giers and was based on proposals by the consul general in Thessaloniki A.K. Belyaev. The theoretical foundations of the project are analyzed, including the justification for choosing the condominium model instead of creating an independent state. The structure of the proposed governance system with a special role for Russia is examined, which was to receive 5 out of 12 votes in the Council of Commissioners and chairmanship in it. The project envisaged preserving traditional Athonite institutions of self-government while creating new international authorities. Although the convention was not implemented due to Greek opposition and the outbreak of World War I, the document remains an important source for understanding Russian foreign policy in the early 20th century and attempts to solve international problems through the creation of new forms of international administration of territories with special religious status.

Mount Athos, Holy Mountain, Russian diplomacy, international law, condominium, Orthodox powers, Balkan Wars, protectorate, A.N. Mandelstam, M.N. Giers, international administration, Russian Empire, early 20th century, Russian foreign policy, inter-Orthodox relations, Constantinople, diplomatic documents, archival sources, AVPRI