Abdurrahman Melek (1896 in

Antakya Antakya (), historically known as Antioch ( el, Ἀντιόχεια; hy, Անտիոք, Andiok), is the capital of Hatay Province, the southernmost province of Turkey. The city is located in a well-watered and fertile valley on the Orontes Rive ...

– 13 January 1978 in

Ankara Ankara ( , ; ), historically known as Ancyra and Angora, is the capital of Turkey. Located in the central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5.1 million in its urban center and over 5.7 million in Ankara Province, maki ...

), was a Turkish politician, who served as the Prime Minister of the

Republic of Hatay Hatay State ( tr, Hatay Devleti; french: État du Hatay; ar , دولة هاتاي ''Dawlat Hatāy''), also known informally as the Republic of Hatay ( ar , جمهورية هاتاي ''Jumhūriyya Hatāy''), was a transitional political entity t ...

founded following the constitution approved by the league of Nations on 19 May 1937. He started practicing medicine, after studying at the Aleppo Sultaniye, Beirut University and graduating from the

Istanbul University , image = Istanbul_University_logo.svg , image_size = 200px , latin_name = Universitas Istanbulensis , motto = tr, Tarihten Geleceğe Bilim Köprüsü , mottoeng = Science Bridge from Past to the Future , established = 1453 1846 1933 ...

Faculty of Medicine. He became of the predominant leaders in the effort to integrate

Hatay Hatay Province ( tr, Hatay ili, ) is the southernmost province of Turkey. It is situated almost entirely outside Anatolia, along the eastern coast of the Levantine Sea. The province borders Syria to its south and east, the Turkish province of ...

into

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...

. He served as the Istanbul director of the Hatay Maturity Society (“Hatay Erginlik Cemiyeti”), took part in the Turkish Delegation negotiating with the French in Geneva. Preceding the foundation of the State of Hatay, he was appointed Governor of Hatay and prepared the foundation of the State of Hatay. He was appointed as prime minister of that state with the approval of Atatürk. While Prime Minister of Hatay, and before the integration of Hatay into Turkey, he was elected to the Turkish Grand National Assembly for Gaziantep (March 1939). He served as a member of parliament for Gaziantep in the 6., 7., and 8. terms, and for Hatay in the 9. term. In later years (1959–1961), he served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey. He was involved from beginning to end in the struggle to get Hatay back from the

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

and published his memoirs in a book titled “How Hatay Was Liberated” (“Hatay Nasıl Kurtuldu”), published by the Turkish History Institute in 1966. Dr. Abdurrahman Melek died in Ankara on 13 January 1978.

References

* Dr. Abdurrahman Melek, Hatay Nasıl Kurtuldu, Türk Tarih Kurumu, 1966 (“How Hatay Was Liberated”, published by the Turkish History Institute in 1966) {{DEFAULTSORT:Melek, Abdurrahman 1896 births 1978 deaths Government of Turkey Turkish politicians