SykesPicot

The Sykes-Picot Agreement was a secret wartime accord of 1916 between Britain and France, with the assent of Russia, drawn up by diplomat Mark Sykes and François Georges-Picot. Conceived during World War I, the agreement outlined how the Allies would divide the Ottoman Empire’s Middle Eastern territories after the anticipated collapse of Ottoman rule. It defined spheres of influence and control rather than independent states, with Palestine proposed for international administration, and distinct zones for French and British influence.

Under the plan, the French zone would cover much of the Levant, including present-day Syria and Lebanon, with a broader French influence in northern Syria and the Mediterranean coast. The British zone was to include southern Mesopotamia (now Iraq) and a coastal strip extending toward the Mediterranean, while the area around Palestine would be placed under an international administration. A fully independent Arab political entity was not established in the agreement, contrasting with later Arab promises of self-determination. The treaty remained secret until it was revealed by the Bolsheviks in 1917. In later years, postwar mandates and borders—formalized by the San Remo conference and League of Nations mandates—realized portions of the Sykes-Picot framework, shaping the political map of the Middle East and contributing to ongoing debates about colonial legacies and regional stability.