[20 September 1918]
Report on Turkish General Khalil Pasha’s Visit to Yerevan.
Republic of Armenia
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
M.F.A.
Political Mission to Georgia To: Constantipole
Tbilisi Delegation of Armenia
26 September 1918
No. 871
On the morning of August 31st, Khalil Pasha, V. Kress and Baron Frankenstein, accompanied by me, entered Yerevan. The reception was quite warm. Mr. Aram, the Minister of Internal Affairs, an old friend of Khalil Pasha, had come to the station. Khalil Pasha ran towards and hugged Mr. Aram. Following this, Khalil Pasha reviewed the honor guards and then, accompanied by the honor cavalry, went to town with Mr. Aram. During the whole procession the band played military marches.
[…]
The third question concerned the situation of Karabagh. [Prime Minister] Kachaznuni explained our views regarding this issue, which was the following: the regions of Mountainous Karabagh and Zangezur are densely populated Armenian territories and there can not be any argument favoring their annexation to Azerbaijan. However, since the latter raises objections with regard to this solution (annexation to Armenia), the government of Armenia believes that the political status of Karabagh has to be resolved either at the Constantinople Conference or by the people of Karanagh themselves. Until such a resolution of this problem, the government of Armenia does not want to intervene in the internal affairs of Karabagh and demands that Azerbaijan not interfere either. Khalil Pasha started that he personally is in agreement with our view and promised to talk to the Azerbaijan government about this, as an intermediary between them and us.
[…]
During these conversations Khalil Pasha also made a significant slip: “We Turks do not think of enslaving any nation; however, we have an ideal and want to realize that ideal. We desire to reestablish our ties with our ancient homeland, Turan, and for that we want the road uniting our two fatherlands to be free of any alien jurisdiction.” In this way, the Turkish desire to expand their domination all the way to Turkistan found a very specific articulation in the words of Khalil Pasha.
[…]
Very Respectfully,
A[rshak] Jamalian
Envoy of Armenian Republic in Georgia
[Republic of Armenia Archives, File No. 65]
The Karabagh File, Documents and Facts, 1918-1988, First Edition, Cambridge Toronto 1988, by the ZORYAN INSTITUTE, edited by: Gerard J. LIBARIDIAN, pp. 8-9
Image – Yerevan a century ago
