PROF. DR. AYDIN: ARMENIAN ALLEGATIONS WERE FIRST PUT FORWARD IN 1895, BUT RECEIVED NO SUPPORT FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES
Turkish Press
Oct 11 2007
ISTANBUL – "Armenian allegations were first put forward in 1895, but
received no support from foreign countries," Prof. Dr. Mahir Aydin
of the Istanbul University Department of History, said on Thursday.
In an interview with the A.A, Prof. Dr. Aydin said that he completed
an article on "First Trial of the Scenario of Armenian Genocide"
to be published by the Istanbul University.
"The Treaty of Berlin, which was signed in 1878, was aiming at dividing
the Ottoman Empire. But Armenian community could not acquire its
independence since its population was not sufficient. Britain put
forward the idea of an imaginary Armenian state in Anatolia.
Inspiring from Bulgarian and Greek uprisings, Armenian gangs launched
intense acts of terror in Anatolia. Since the western states wanted
to base the imaginary Armenian state on sound grounds, they told
Armenians that if some of them were executed and some others were
massacred, they could rush to their assistance on the ground that
Turks committed genocide against them," he said.
"Consequently, Armenians rebelled to the Ottoman Empire in nearly 30
different places in Anatolia from the central cities of Ankara and
Yozgat to the eastern city of Van, from the northern city of Trabzon
to the southeastern city of Diyarbakir in 1895. Such a large-scale
uprising could not be casual. It was a mass movement. Britain did
not extend support to Armenian uprisings. But when Germany became
dangerous in Europe, Britain had to pursue policies of France and
Russia," he said.
Prof. Dr. Aydin kept on saying, "since France and Russia did not
support Armenians, the United States started supporting Armenians’
policy. The United States had already carrying out missionary
activities since 1830s. Nearly 200 American missionaries opened
schools in several places to make Gregorian Armenians Protestants.
6,448 Armenians died in the Armenian uprisings which were not supported
by Britain. This number was personally put by the military official
charged by the state."
"The U.S. House of Representatives prepared a resolution on January
31st, 1896 right after the Armenian uprisings in 1895. I found the
original text of the resolution in the archives. The resolution says,
‘let’s elect a commission formed by Christians. This commission can
choose a chairman to rule Turkey. Rule of Turkey should be taken away
from Turks and the country should be divided into provinces. This
new formation can be named as the United States of Turkey.’ There is
a message here. And it is that what happened in 1915 was nothing but
a scenario," he said.
Prof. Dr. Aydin added, "the Ottoman Empire decided to relocate
some Armenians in 1915. Britain took up the issue in 1916 since it
suffered a heavy blow during the Canakkale Battles and failed to help
Russia. Britain used Armenians once again. These allegations were put
forward by using Armenians. Armenians migrated from Anatolia to the
other countries including France and the United States. Allegations
regarding the year of 1915 stemmed from the scenario of 1895. There
were no one who could commit genocide against Armenians in Anatolia
in 1915 because of the ongoing war. There were only elderly people,
women and children…"
From: Baghdasarian