FORMATION AND EVOLUTION OF THE ARMENIAN QUESTION IN THE LATE XIX - EARLY XX CENTURIES

The Armenian question is a complex of problems of political history of the Armenian people connected with its aspiration to reconstruct the sovereign statehood in the historical territory by means of national liberation fight. Having become part of the Eastern question, the Armenian question took a certain place in policy of great powers in the Middle East. The term "Armenian question" was introduced in diplomatic and historical literature after the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1978. In the middle of the XIX century the Ottoman Empire became an object of active fight between the leading states of Europe. Each of these powers covered the operation of Turkey with the principle of "status quo" of the empire which was quite beneficial for sultan autocracy in reactionary domestic policy. The European powers made the tough conditions of the ethnic minorities of the empire even worse, using the position of the Christian people, in particular Armenians, as a pretext for pressuring on High Porto. The Christian population which sought for release from the Turkish yoke, was regarded by the sultan government as a threat for the future empire. After defeat of Turkey in World War I and the Armistice of Mudros of 1918 the Turkish troops left the territory of the Republic of Armenia and Kars province. Also the border of 1914 was restored. In 1919-1920 the government of the Republic of Armenia sought to unite Western and East Armenia in the uniform independent state with the help of the Western states. The Armenian question was discussed at the Parisian peace conference of 1919-1920 which resulted in a decision on granting the USA the mandate for Armenia. That decision was approved by the League of the Nations. In 1920 (November-December) at the London conference and in 1921 (January) at a meeting of the Supreme Council of the Entente in Paris France required to revise the Treaty of Sevres. Before carrying out the Conference of Lausanne France, England and Italy receded from the protective positions of the Treaty of Sevres, that is from the solution of the Armenian question. In resolutions of the London conference of 1921 the expression "The Armenian independent state" was replaced with the indistinct formulation about creation of "The Armenian national center" on the territory of Turkey. However even this expression was deleted by the diplomats at the Conference of Lausanne (1922-1923). The League of the Nations also appeared to be incapable of taking any measure to facilitate the life of the people that underwent genocide and deportation.