AnOttoman–Bulgarian (orTurco-Bulgarian)alliance was signed inSofia on 19 August(6 AugustO.S.) 1914 during the opening month of theFirst World War, although at the time both the signatories were neutral.[1] TheMinister of the Interior,Talaat Pasha, and President Halil Bey of theChamber of Deputies signed the treaty on behalf of theOttoman Empire (Turkey) andPrime MinisterVasil Radoslavov on behalf of theKingdom of Bulgaria.[2] The Ottoman–Bulgarian alliance was probably a prerequisite for Bulgaria's joining theCentral Powers after Turkey entered the war in November.[3]
The treaty of alliance had seven articles.[4] It was a purely defensive pact: it obligated a signatory to go to war only if the other was attacked by another Balkan country.[5] The two powers also agreed not to attack any other Balkan country without first consulting each other. Article IV left open the possibility of Ottoman troops traversing Bulgarian soil to attack another power. In the event of a conflict without prior consultation they pledged neutrality. Bulgaria promised to notify Turkey of any mobilisation on its part, and in Article V Turkey agreed to negotiate an affirmation of the neutrality ofRomania. Furthermore, the treaty was to be kept secret and to last for the duration of the general European war.[5] Although shrouded in secrecy like thetreaty with Germany negotiated byMinister of WarEnver Pasha on 2 August, the Bulgarian treaty was a more coherent and purposeful document.[5]
After the signing, the Ottomans continued to press for an expanded offensive alliance directed atRussia, but to no avail. On 22 August(9 August O.S.),Grand VizierSait Halim rejected the interpretation of the Ottoman–German alliance whereby Turkey was bound to go to war when Germany did. He ordered the government ministers to pursue negotiations in different directions: with Romania, Russia, Greece and France.[5] When negotiations for an anti-Russian alliance with Romania also failed, on 30 August the Ottomans suggested to their German allies that a Bulgarian alliance directed atSerbia andGreece was more feasible. The Germans objected, but the Ottomans sent a colonel to Sofia to begin negotiations with the Bulgarian general staff anyway.[2] Even after entering the war, the Ottomans did not make the Germans aware of the existence of their Bulgarian treaty until 17 December 1914;[5] and the Bulgarians did not actually agree to enter the war on the side of the Central Powers until theConvention of Sofia of 6 September 1915.[6]