Western Armenia Government in Exile

Last updated
Republic of Western Armenia
State of Armenia
Արևմտյան Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն
Arevmtyan Hayastani Hanrapetut’yun Հայաստան պետության
Hayasdan bedutʿyan
Flag of Western Armenia.png

Western Armenia flag.png
[a]
Flag
Coat of Arms of Western Armenia.png
Greater Coat of Arms of Western Armenia.png
[b]
Coat of arms
Anthem: Zartnir Lao [1] [2]
Զարթի՛ր, լաօ
"Awake my son"
CapitalKarin [3] [4] (Erzurum)
Government
 President
Lydia Margossian, [5] Radik Khamoyan, [6] and Martik Gasparyan [7]
 Prime Minister
Seda Melikyan [8]
and Tigran Pashabezyan [9]
 President of the National Assembly
Nelly Harutyunyan [10] and Armen Ter-Sarkisyan [11]
LegislatureNational Assembly
Establishment
860 BC–590 BC
321 BC–428 AD
880s–1045
1080–1375
1878
1915–1917
1915–1918
1918
1920
1920
 Beginning of the establishment process
2011

The Republic of Western Armenia, also known as the State of Armenia, [12] [13] [14] is a government-in-exile claiming sovereignty over parts of the Armenian highlands including sections of Western Armenia as well as Nakhichevan, [c] and sometimes also Nagorno-Karabakh. [15] The self-declared country says it has its own presidency, government, parliament, constitution, national anthem, and coat of arms. [16]

Contents

The individuals of the Republic of Western Armenia claim to be the legal successor of the Armenian state recognised by international law in 1920, and therefore internationally recognised. [17] [18]

Background

The presence of Armenians in Anatolia has been documented since the sixth century BCE, about 1,500 years before the arrival of Turkmens under the Seljuk dynasty. [19] [20]

In the 16th and 17th centuries, historical Armenia was divided between the Ottomans taking the West and the Safavids taking the East.

On the eve of World War I in 1914, around two million Armenians lived in Anatolia out of a total population of 15–17.5 million. [21] According to the Armenian Patriarchate's estimates for 1913–1914, there were 2,925 Armenian towns and villages in the Ottoman Empire, of which 2,084 were in the Armenian highlands in the vilayets of Bitlis, Diyarbekir, Erzerum, Harput, and Van. [22] Armenians were a minority in most places where they lived, alongside Turkish and Kurdish Muslim and Greek Orthodox Christian neighbors. [21] [22] According to the Patriarchate's figure, 215,131 Armenians lived in urban areas, especially Constantinople, Smyrna, and Eastern Thrace. [22] Although most Ottoman Armenians were peasant farmers, they were overrepresented in commerce. As minorities, despite the wealth of some Armenians, their overall political power was low, making them especially vulnerable. [23] The ethnic cleansing of Armenians during the final years of the Ottoman Empire is widely considered a genocide, The Ottoman Empire massacred approximately 600,000–1,500,000 Armenians. The first wave of persecution was in the years 1894 to 1896, the second one culminating in the events of the Armenian genocide in 1915 and 1916.

History

On 17 December 2004, the "Declaration of the right of self-determination of the Armenians from Western Armenia" was signed in Shushi; which by extension also established the National Council of Armenians from Western Armenia. [24] [25] [18]

On 4 February 2011, the establishment of the government-in-exile of Western Armenia was announced, and on 21 October 2011, the constitution, flag, coat of arms and anthem were all adopted. [18] In November 2013, the National Assembly of Western Armenia was formed; whose deputies at the first session of Parliament in Paris, on 20 January 2014, elected the President of Western Armenia. [24] [25]

Claimed lands

The Declaration of the Formation of the National Assembly of Western Armenia states that Western Armenia's jurisdiction applies to the vilayets of Van, Bitlis, Erzurum (which Armenians call "Karin"), Trebizond, Sivas, Diyarbekir, Harput, Kars, Surmalu, Javakheti, and Nakhchivan, as well as the historical region of Cilicia. [c]

Artsakh is also sometimes claimed to be part of the Republic of Western Armenia. [26] [27]

Karin is claimed as the capital of Western Armenia. [28]

The "Western Armenia TV" newscaster also introduced cities such as Bitlis, Muş, Van, Mardin, Iğdır, Adana, Trabzon and Rize as "Western Armenia" in their news bulletins. [29] The broadcaster stated, "Western Armenia, which was declared an independent and sovereign state in 1920, is now occupied by Turkey. Sooner or later it will return to its true owners, the Armenians." [30]

See also

Related Research Articles

Articles related to Armenia include:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Republic of Armenia</span> 1918–1920 country in Western Asia

The First Republic of Armenia, officially known at the time of its existence as the Republic of Armenia, was an independent Armenian state that existed from May 1918 to 2 December 1920 in the Armenian-populated territories of the former Russian Empire known as Eastern or Russian Armenia. The republic was established in May 1918, with its capital in the city of Yerevan, after the dissolution of the short-lived Transcaucasian Federation. It was the first Armenian state since the Middle Ages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Armenia</span> Armenian historical region in Turkey

Western Armenia is a term to refer to the western parts of the Armenian highlands located within Turkey that comprise the historical homeland of the Armenians. Western Armenia, also referred to as Byzantine Armenia, emerged following the division of Greater Armenia between the Byzantine Empire and Sassanid Persia in AD 387. Since the Armenian genocide, the Armenian diaspora as well as Armenians indigenous to modern Turkey have sought political representation in Western Armenia or reunification with the Republic of Armenia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turkish–Armenian War</span> Battles involving Armenian National movement

The Turkish–Armenian War, known in Turkey as the Eastern Front of the Turkish War of Independence, was a conflict between the First Republic of Armenia and the Turkish National Movement following the collapse of the Treaty of Sèvres in 1920. After the provisional government of Ahmet Tevfik Pasha failed to win support for ratification of the treaty, remnants of the Ottoman Army's XV Corps under the command of Kâzım Karabekir attacked Armenian forces occupying the area surrounding Kars, eventually recapturing most of the territory in the South Caucasus that had been part of the Ottoman Empire prior to the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878) and was subsequently ceded by Soviet Russia as part of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">President of Artsakh</span> Head of state and government of the de facto republic

The president of the Republic of Artsakh is the head of state and head of government of the government-in-exile of the once de facto Republic of Artsakh.

The Treaty of Alexandropol was a peace treaty between the First Republic of Armenia and the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. The treaty ended the Turkish-Armenian War that had begun on 12 September 1920, with the Turkish invasion of former-Ottoman lands ceded to Armenia a month prior in the Treaty of Sèvres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Occupation of Western Armenia</span> By the Russian Empire during World War I

The occupation of Western Armenia by the Russian Empire during World War I began in 1915 and was formally ended by the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. It was sometimes referred to as the Republic of Van by Armenians. Aram Manukian of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation was the de facto head until July 1915. It was briefly referred to as "Free Vaspurakan". After a setback beginning in August 1915, it was re-established in June 1916. The region was allocated to Russia by the Allies in April 1916 under the Sazonov–Paléologue Agreement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anti-Armenian sentiment</span> Strong aversion and prejudice against Armenians

Anti-Armenian sentiment, also known as anti-Armenianism and Armenophobia, is a diverse spectrum of negative feelings, dislikes, fears, aversion, racism, derision and/or prejudice towards Armenians, Armenia, and Armenian culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armenia–Turkey relations</span> Bilateral relations

Diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey are officially non-existent and have historically been hostile. Whilst Turkey recognised Armenia shortly after the latter proclaimed independence in September 1991, the two countries have failed to establish diplomatic relations. In 1993, Turkey reacted to the war in Nagorno-Karabakh by closing its border with Armenia out of support for Azerbaijan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Partition of the Ottoman Empire</span> Division of Ottoman territory after World War I

The partition of the Ottoman Empire was a geopolitical event that occurred after World War I and the occupation of Constantinople by British, French, and Italian troops in November 1918. The partitioning was planned in several agreements made by the Allied Powers early in the course of World War I, notably the Sykes–Picot Agreement, after the Ottoman Empire had joined Germany to form the Ottoman–German alliance. The huge conglomeration of territories and peoples that formerly comprised the Ottoman Empire was divided into several new states. The Ottoman Empire had been the leading Islamic state in geopolitical, cultural, and ideological terms. The partitioning of the Ottoman Empire after the war led to the domination of the Middle East by Western powers such as Britain and France, and saw the creation of the modern Arab world and the Republic of Turkey. Resistance to the influence of these powers came from the Turkish National Movement but did not become widespread in the other post-Ottoman states until the period of rapid decolonization after World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Armenia</span> Armenian irredentist concept

United Armenia, also known as Greater Armenia or Great Armenia, is an Armenian ethno-nationalist irredentist concept referring to areas within the traditional Armenian homeland—the Armenian Highland—which are currently or have historically been mostly populated by Armenians. The idea of what Armenians see as unification of their historical lands was prevalent throughout the 20th century and has been advocated by individuals, various organizations and institutions, including the nationalist parties Armenian Revolutionary Federation and Heritage, the ASALA and others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abdülhalik Renda</span> Turkish politician and genocide perpetrator

Mustafa Abdülhalik Renda was a Turkish civil servant and politician of Tosk Albanian descent who was acting President of Turkey for one day after Atatürk's death in November 1938.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erivan Governorate</span> Governorate of the Russian Empire

The Erivan Governorate was a province (guberniya) of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire, with its centеr in Erivan. Its area was 27,830 sq. kilometеrs, roughly corresponding to what is now most of central Armenia, the Iğdır Province of Turkey, and the Nakhchivan exclave of Azerbaijan. At the end of the 19th century, it bordered the Tiflis Governorate to the north, the Elizavetpol Governorate to the east, the Kars Oblast to the west, and Persia and the Ottoman Empire to the south. Mount Ararat and the fertile Ararat Valley were included in the center of the province.


Horizon Weekly is an Armenian Canadian newspaper publication and is the official political newspaper of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF)'s Canadian Central Committee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armenian Uruguayans</span> Community in South America

Armenian Uruguayans number around 15,000–20,000 of the population, making Uruguay to have one of the largest Armenian diaspora populations around the world. The Armenian community in Uruguay is one of the oldest communities in South America, with most of them residing in the capital Montevideo. The majority of Armenians in Uruguay are either third or fourth-generation descendants of the first wave of immigrants coming from the Ottoman Empire between the end of the 19th century and the Armenian genocide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Political status of Nagorno-Karabakh</span> Status of a disputed region in the Caucasus

The political status of Nagorno-Karabakh remained unresolved from its declaration of independence on 10 December 1991 to its September 2023 collapse. During Soviet times, it had been an ethnic Armenian autonomous oblast of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, a conflict arose between local Armenians who sought to have Nagorno-Karabakh join Armenia and local Azerbaijanis who opposed this.

The Declaration of State Sovereignty of Armenia was signed by Armenia's president Levon Ter-Petrossian and Supreme Council of Armenia secretary Ara Sahakian on August 23, 1990 in Yerevan, Armenia. The Republic of Armenia was established on September 21, 1991 upon dissolution of the Soviet Union. The declaration was rooted in the December 1, 1989, joint decision of the Armenian SSR Supreme Council and the Artsakh National Council on the "Reunification of the Armenian SSR and the Mountainous Region of Karabakh" with ties to the Republic of Armenia established on May 28, 1918 and the Declaration of Independence of Armenia (1918).

Repatriation of Armenians refers to the act of returning of ethnic Armenians to Armenia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kurdish rebellions during World War I</span> Rebellions against the Ottoman Empire

During World War I, several Kurdish rebellions took place within the Ottoman Empire. The rebellions were preceded by the emergence of early Kurdish nationalism and Kurdish revolts in Bitlis in 1907 and early 1914. The primary Kurdish war aim was the creation of an independent Kurdish state, a goal that Britain and Russia promised to fulfil in order to incite Kurdish resistance. Other reasons for resistance include a fear that they would suffer the same fate as the Armenians, the desire for more autonomy, and according to Ottoman sources, banditry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muslim uprisings in Kars and Sharur–Nakhichevan</span> 1919–20 rebellions in Armenia

The Muslim uprisings in Kars and Sharur–Nakhichevan were a series of insurgencies by local Muslims against the administration of the First Republic of Armenia, beginning on 1 July 1919 and ending 28 July 1920. The areas of uprising were persuaded into insurrection by the sedition of Turkish and Azerbaijani agents who were trying to destabilise Armenia in order to form a pan-Turkic corridor between their nations.

References

  1. "Return to the anthem of Western Armenia "Zartnir Lao"". "Western Armenia TV. "In May 2011, President Armenag Aprahamian sent a letter to the team manager Hakan Yavuz, thanking him for using the anthem of Western Armenia "Zartnir Lao" as the anthem of his team."
  2. "Խորհրդանիշներ - Արևմտյան Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն". "Website of the President of Western Armenia."
  3. "Deputies of Western Armenia - led by President A. Aprahamian visited Karin - Western Armenia TV". Western Armenia TV. "Karin is of key importance because it is the capital of Western Armenia."
  4. "Provinces and regions of Western Armenia - Western Armenia TV". Western Armenia TV. "The capital of Western Armenia, Karin, with an area of 25066 square kilometers, is the largest city in the region. Karin is the largest city in occupied Western Armenia."
  5. "The President of the Republic of Western Armenia Lydia Margossian presented the one-year activity plan". Western Armenia TV.
  6. "President of the Republic of Western Armenia - The Government of the Republic of Western Armenia". Government of Western Armenia
  7. APPEAL The State of Armenia (Republic of Western Armenia) on Modern Threats, Challenges, and Vision of the Future, Dialogue of Civilizations, Cultures, and Religions - Obtaining citizenship of the Republic of Western Armenia. Citizenship Site of the Republic of Western Armenia
  8. "The New Year's speech of the Prime Minister of Western Armenia, Seda Melikyan"
  9. APPEAL The State of Armenia (Republic of Western Armenia) on Modern Threats, Challenges, and Vision of the Future, Dialogue of Civilizations, Cultures, and Religions - Obtaining citizenship of the Republic of Western Armenia. Citizenship Site of the Republic of Western Armenia
  10. "The 26th meeting of the Western Armenian National Assembly was held". Western Armenia TV.
  11. APPEAL The State of Armenia (Republic of Western Armenia) on Modern Threats, Challenges, and Vision of the Future, Dialogue of Civilizations, Cultures, and Religions - Obtaining citizenship of the Republic of Western Armenia. Citizenship Site of the Republic of Western Armenia
  12. "National Assembly (Parliament) of Western Armenia – Official site". parliament-wa.info. Retrieved 2024-09-06.
  13. "Maps of the state of Armenia. Borders in accordance with the Memorandum of February 12, 1919 by the Armenian united national delegation at the Paris Peace Conference". National Assembly (Parliament) of Western Armenia. 2019-08-08. Retrieved 2024-09-06.
  14. "CEC ANNOUNCEMENT On the preliminary results of the past elections of deputies of the National Assembly (Parliament) of Western Armenia of the 3rd convocation". Elections of the deputies of Parliament of Western Armenia. 2023-09-07. Retrieved 2024-09-06.
  15. "Welcome to Western Armenia - Western Armenia TV "Do you know that Artsakh and Nakhichevan are part of the Republic of Western Armenia?"". 2022-06-07. Retrieved 2024-09-06.
  16. "Welcome to Western Armenia". Western Armenia TV. "Did you know that today in Western Armenia there are all the institutional structures of the state: the presidency, the government, the parliament, the Constitution, the anthem, and the coat of arms?"
  17. "Welcome to Western Armenia". Western Armenia TV. "Therefore, today there are two internationally recognized Armenian states: (...) The Republic of Western Armenia, the legal successor of the Armenian state recognized by international law in 1920."
  18. 1 2 3 LEPL - DAVID AGHMASHENEBELI - NATIONAL DEFENCE ACADEMY OF GEORGIA CONTEMPORARY SECURITY CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS OF THEIR DEVELOPMENT COLLECTION OF THE PAPERS OF THE SCIENTIFIC-PRACTICAL CONFERENCE Page 12
  19. Ahmed 2006, p. 1576.
  20. Suny 2015, p. xiv.
  21. 1 2 Suny 2015, p. xviii.
  22. 1 2 3 Kévorkian 2011, p. 279.
  23. Bloxham 2005, p. 8–9.
  24. 1 2 Argentina, Redacción (2021-08-30). "Origin of the Current Republic of Western Armenia". Pressenza. Retrieved 2024-10-24.
  25. 1 2 "The Government of the Republic of Western Armenia (Armenia) – Official website". gov-wa.nt.am. Retrieved 2024-10-24.
  26. https://westernarmeniatv.com/en/society_en/welcome-to-western-armenia/ Do you know that Artsakh and Nakhichevan are part of the Republic of Western Armenia?"
  27. Argentina, Redacción (2023-10-07). "A historical lie". Pressenza. Retrieved 2024-10-24.
  28. "Deputies of Western Armenia - led by President A. Aprahamian visited Karin - Western Armenia TV". Western ArmeniaTV. "Karin is of key importance because it is the capital of Western Armenia."
  29. "Ermeni spikerden Türk siyasetçiye çok sert 'Batı Ermenistan' yanıtı!". Rudaw. "Haber bültenlerinde Bitlis, Muş, Van, Mardin, Iğdır, Adana, Trabzon ve Rize gibi kentleri “Batı Ermenistan” olarak tanıtan "Western Armenia" adlı televizyon kanalı spikeri (...)"
  30. "Ermeni spikerden Türk siyasetçiye çok sert 'Batı Ermenistan' yanıtı!". Rudaw. "Ermenistan'da yayın yapan "Western Armenia" adlı televizyonun spikeri, "1920'de bağımsız ve egemen bir devlet olarak ilan edilen Batı Ermenistan, şimdi Türkiye tarafından işgal edilmiş durumdadır. Er ya da geç gerçek sahiplerine Ermenilere dönecek" dedi."

Sources

Notes

  1. The first one is in the decree of the flag, while the second one is the variant of which is commonly used. Another variant being used uses #0000E7 for the blue, seen in places like in places like Western Armenia TV and the President's website. Both versions are used, however the one using the #0000E7 doesn't seem to be used that much.
  2. The first one is in the decree of the flag, while the second one is the variant that is used sometimes by Western Armenia, although definitely not as much.
  3. 1 2 http://www.western-armenia.eu/stat.gov.wa/en/2013/DECLARATION-THE-NATIONAL-ASSEMBLY-OF-WESTERN-ARMENIA-01.06.2013.pdf The declaration's original text lists the following claimed territory:
    1. Van
    2. Bitlis
    3. Erzrum (Garin)
    4. Trapizon (Hamshen)
    5. Sivas (Sebastia)
    6. Diarbeqir (Dikranagert)
    7. Kharput (Kharberd)
    8. Kilikia (including Cesaria, Marash, Adana, Zeytun, Aynput, Antioq)
    9. Kars (and Surmalu)
    10. Javakhq
    11. Nakhijevan