The Armenian National Delegation is a diplomatic mission and an Armenian organization whose objective is to advocate for the claims of the Armenians of Western Armenia between 1912 and 1925. The organization was established by Georges V Soureniants and initially led by the businessman and diplomat Boghos Nubar Pasha until 1921.
Similarly to the Armenian delegation at the Congress of Berlin (1878), led by Archbishop Mkrtich Khrimian and sought to advocate for the Armenian cause before the major powers, the Armenian National Delegation aimed to resolve the Armenian question. Consequently, the Armenian National Delegation was involved in the settlement of the Armenian side of the First Balkan War, in the negotiation of the reform project in Ottoman Armenia from 1912 to 1914, and then in the settlement of World War I, particularly during the Paris Peace Conference of 1919.
In collaboration with the , it participated in the negotiations that led to the Treaty of Sèvres (1920), which recognized Armenia as a free and independent state. However, with the Sovietization of independent Armenia at the end of 1920 and then the victory of the Kemalists during the Turkish War of Independence (1919–1922), the Treaty of Sèvres was revised and replaced by the Treaty of Lausanne (1923), which dashed Armenian hopes. The Armenian National Delegation then assumed responsibility for the care of Armenian refugees before disappearing in early 1925.
History
Genesis (1912)
During the First Balkan War, which commenced in October 1912, the Russian Empire's diplomatic efforts led to a renewed focus on the Armenian question. Subsequently, Catholicos Georges V Soureniants was empowered to petition Emperor Nicholas II to protect Ottoman Armenians. As historian Anahide Ter Minassian observes, this development fostered a sense of optimism among Armenian organizations, which initiated the collection, publication, and dissemination of statistical and documentary evidence to bolster the case for Russian diplomatic action.
In November 1912, Georges V Soureniants concluded a diplomatic agreement, known as a "kontak", which established the Armenian National Delegation in Paris. The Catholicos enjoyed the support of the Viceroy of the Caucasus, Illarion Vorontsov-Dashkov, and the National Bureau, which represented the Armenians of Russia and was established in 1912. He appointed businessman and diplomat Boghos Nubar Pacha as the head of the delegation. Among its members were other prominent figures of the Parisian Armenian community, such as the writer Archag Chobanian and the former Ottoman minister Gabriel Noradounghian, who became a member after his exile to France in November 1918. Aram Andonian served as its secretary between 1919 and 1923.
This delegation, established during the First Balkan War to represent the interests of Ottoman Armenians, was dispatched to Paris to advocate for the Armenian cause before the six powers that had signed the Treaty of Berlin in 1878. This was in accordance with the Armenian delegation's efforts at the Berlin Congress, led by Archbishop Mkrtich Khrimian. In early December 1912, Boghos Nubar Pasha arrived in Paris. This was at a time when the Ottoman Empire had requested an armistice (December 3). While the Political Council of the Armenian National Assembly was responsible for managing the issue from the Ottoman and Russian sides, the National Delegation was tasked with external diplomatic action, particularly about the major European powers.
Upon his arrival in Paris, Boghos Nubar promptly sought an audience with the Ottoman ambassador to propose a consensus among the Russians, English, Germans, and French on the reforms to be implemented in Ottoman Armenia.
London Conference (September 1912 – May 1913)
Subsequently, Boghos Nubar made regular journeys from Paris to Berlin, Geneva, and London. In this city, his contacts with high-ranking English dignitaries were relayed by the influential British Armenia Committee (in which Lord Bryce sat), which sought to have reforms in Ottoman Armenia discussed at the London Conference convened to negotiate peace between the Balkan states and the Ottoman Empire following the Ottoman defeat, resulting in the Treaty of London in May 1913. On several occasions, he visited Edward Grey, head of the Foreign Office.
In this context, which also witnessed the ascendance of the Young Turks to power, Boghos Nubar Pasha, a figure more conservative than the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), called for reforms within the Ottoman Empire under the stipulations outlined in the Treaty of Berlin (particularly Article 61). However, he did not advocate for Armenian autonomy or independence from the Empire. He maintained contact with the ARF, notably with Vahan Papazian, an influential figure in the Armenian institutions of Constantinople, who visited him in Paris in February 1913 to clarify the key points of the reforms to be implemented. They agreed on a common project for the representatives of the great powers, which included the appointment of European inspectors and guarantees from European states.
At that time, the National Delegation distributed a memorandum that outlined the potential benefits of implementing reforms in Western Armenia. The memorandum, produced by the institutions of the Armenian National Assembly, suggested that such reforms could contribute to regional stability and peace. It was then forwarded to , a diplomat attached to the Russian Embassy in Constantinople, and subsequently brought to the attention of Russian diplomatic circles. The memorandum presented several proposals for consideration:
Unification of the six vilayets; Appointment of a governor (Christian, Ottoman, or European), as well as an Administrative Council and a mixed Islamic-Christian provincial assembly; Formation of a mixed gendarmerie led by European officers to protect the Armenians; Dissolution of the Hamidiye regiments; Legalization of the use of Armenian and Kurdish in local administration; Authorization for minorities to establish and administer schools with special taxes previously reserved for Turkish schools; Formation of a commission to examine land confiscations; The expulsion of Muslim immigrants settled on Armenian lands; Implementation of these measures in Cilicia; Oversight by European powers, who were to ensure the application of these measures.
France, the United Kingdom, Russia, and Germany from January 1913 were engaged in diplomatic negotiations. The parties involved had disparate interests in the region, further complicating matters. France and the United Kingdom pursued a status quo diplomacy to preserve their interests, opposing a Russian annexation of eastern Anatolia. However, Germany opposed any reform, as it would jeopardize its economic dominance over the Ottoman Empire. Additionally, its Young Turk allies urged it to thwart this "Russian project."
During the Conference, France and the United Kingdom sought to moderate Russian ambitions and denounced Germany's position, accusing it of interference in Ottoman Empire affairs. For Russia, the absence of reforms in the Armenian provinces of the Ottoman Empire would inevitably result in a further intensification of the prevailing disorder. It was therefore argued that the only viable solution to the problem would be a Russian military intervention. In the end, the powers concurred that reforms were necessary, provided that their implementation was left to the discretion of the Ottoman government. The Russians denounced this condition, which they believed would not allow for the concrete implementation of any reforms. Boghos Nubar, however, insisted on the essential nature of control of the reforms by the great powers. The United Kingdom and Germany refused this control to be Russian, which did not particularly bother the head of the Armenian National Delegation, who also feared Russian control over Anatolian Armenia.
The European powers concluded the Conference without further ado and charged their respective ambassadors in Constantinople, at Russia's behest, with the responsibility of continuing the negotiations.
Between the London Conference and the Great War (1913–1914) In mid-1913, Nicholas II amassed troops in the Caucasus, at the border with the Ottoman Empire, and sought to intensify pressure by ordering his agents to incite Kurdish provocations in Western Armenia.
As historian Raymond Kévorkian observes, Boghos Nubar Pasha persisted in traveling during the Conference and particularly in the months that followed, with the objective of "attempting to influence the stances of various parties, relying on pro-Armenian national committees", such as the British Armenia Committee or the Armenian Committee of Berlin. He was thus supported by some pro-Armenian British Members of Parliament in the House of Commons, yet he encountered difficulty in persuading British diplomats of the merits of the reform project. He was disconcerted by the passive stance of the United Kingdom, which starkly contrasted with that of the Ottoman officials, particularly Grand Vizier Mahmoud Shevket Pacha, who expressed support for the proposed reforms. Boghos Nubar also engaged with Italian political figures, such as Deputy Galli, who made a public statement in June 1913 in the Italian Parliament in favor of reforms in Ottoman Armenia.
In June 1913, European diplomats resumed negotiations in the Ottoman capital, utilizing the Armenian memorandum as the foundation for their discussions. The Armenian National Delegation, continuing its diplomatic work in Europe, underscored to diplomats that the Armenians were not pursuing autonomy but rather the establishment of an administration that would guarantee their security. In his discussions with British financial circles, Boghos Nubar sought to persuade them that the proposed reforms would guarantee the security of their loans in the Ottoman Empire. Similarly, in his conversations with the German government, he endeavored, in collaboration with the Armenian Committee of Berlin, to illustrate that implementing reforms would be the most effective means of preventing a Russian invasion of the Ottoman Empire.
In the context of the economic crisis that impacted the Ottoman Empire, Boghos Nubar Pasha put forth a proposal linking the provision of European material aid to the implementation of reforms. However, this proposal was not given due consideration by the major powers. At that time, only Russia demonstrated a genuine interest in the Armenian question. In late June or early July, Boghos Nubar met with Mehmet Cavit Bey. In a subsequent statement published in the Armenian newspaper Azadamard, the Ottoman government indicated its willingness to implement reforms and asserted that it had reached an agreement with Boghos Nubar Pasha on the majority of points, except for the issue of guarantees, following a meeting in Paris. Nevertheless, this official stance was largely driven by the Ottoman government's necessity to obtain a French financial loan to resume hostilities against Bulgaria. The visit of Boghos Nubar, a prominent figure in French political circles, appeared to be part of this strategic maneuver.