Armenia Was Change in Oil Game Played by Bolsheviks and British

The deportation of Armenians was initiated by Germany. It was done to divert Entente's attention from the Western front, where Germany was being defeated.

The situation in 1915 did not favor the Armenian population in eastern vilayets of Turkey. On the one hand - Kurds and Circassians, who forced Armenians away from villages, on the other - the policy of the Young Turkish Government, which encouraged the banishment and accused Armenians in pro-Russian orientation. All this resulted in mass deportation and annihilation of half of the population of Western Armenia. If Young Turks had desired, to fully exterminate the Armenian nation, they would not have left a single Armenian in Istanbul, Izmir and other cities of Western Anatolia. However, Armenians remained there, except the intelligentsia, which was killed.

Judging from archive documents, accusations of Armenians in pro-Russian orientation are, to put it mildly, exaggerated. Most of the Armenian population lived in villages and was rather law-abiding. There was no much participation of Armenian retinues as part of the Russian army at the Caucasian front - according to my calculations there were some 3 thousand Armenians. This is not a figure that can account for Rusofilia.

Nevertheless, I agree that the events in 1915 were Armenian Genocide. There was no term «genocide» in early 20th century, however it was genocide undoubtedly. The matter lies not in figures, but in the fact itself. If you remember, in 1919 a trial started in Istanbul against the Young Turkish Government that was organized by the Entente. Accusations in deporting and exterminating a whole nation were voiced there for the first time. However, secondary functionaries, mere executors were punished.

It's possible to write an objective story of the event taken place in Ottoman Turkey in 1915-1923. The matter is not the number of the killed and deported Armenians but that the half of the population of Western Armenia was annihilated.
Turkey should reconsider its attitude to the Armenian Genocide. The protraction of this process is pregnant negative consequences for the country itself. Turkey fears not so much of Armenia's territorial claims but of the compensation for material and moral damage. No economy can endure it.

I should note that the process of Turkey's liberalization on the way to the European Union is not quick. I suppose the EU will set the Armenian Genocide recognition as a condition for the membership. EU representatives should attend the Genocide Museum to see what really happened in 1915.

Any destruction of cultural monuments is vandalism. The Armenia cemetery in Old Djulfa is a common human heritage and the acts of the Azeri authorities cannot be justified. History cannot be re-written. I am not well aware of the details but I am convinced that there is historical evidence, manuscripts proving the fact that Armenians always lived in Nakhichevan.

As for the second part of the question, the RF president administration intends to re-consider relations with Armenia, since relations with a strategic partner should be closer.

The absence of scientific and cultural ties between our states has had a negative impact upon the relationships during recent 10-15 years. The USSR collapse created a very unfavorable situation for Russia - it doesn't have specialists in the CIS member states. Now the situation is being improved little by little. We open the faculty of Armenistika but we lack tutors of the Armenian language and especially grabar.

The initial draft of Moscow Treaty provided for far less concessions to Turkey in the segment of Armenia. People's Commissar on Foreign Affairs of Soviet Russia Georgi Chicherin proposed to leave the territory of Western Armenia, including Mush and Kars, to Armenia.

However, the oil factor interfered with the matter. Bolsheviks resorted to everything to keep the Baku-Astrakhan crossing. The union with Kemalist Turkey against Western-leaning Armenia was favorable both to Bolsheviks and Turks, who got huge arms and gold. Unfortunately, Armenia became a change card in a big oil game. Bolsheviks were guided by the principle: anything can be sacrificed for Baku's sake.

The genuine date of singing the Moscow Treaty is not 16, but 18 March. «Just on March 18 the parties arrived at a final wording of the Treaty items, according to which most of Armenia was cut off.