🇬🇧 Declaration of United Armenia. The First Republic of Armenia
First Republic of Armenia
Refugees and the Situation of Western Armenians After the Genocide
At the proclamation of the independence of the First Republic of Armenia in May 1918, a significant part of its population consisted of refugees from Western Armenia who had survived the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire. Thousands of people were forced to leave their homes and seek refuge in Eastern Armenia.
In the spring of 1917, the First Congress of Western Armenians attempted to organize the refugees and establish structures of self-government. During 1916–1917, some Western Armenians temporarily returned to their native regions, which were then under the control of the Russian Empire. However, after the Russian Revolution, the situation changed dramatically: the Caucasus Front collapsed, and the advance of Ottoman troops forced Armenians to flee eastward once again. This effectively destroyed the organizational system that had previously been established.
Preparation for the Second Congress of Western Armenians
In December 1918, the Inter-Party Council of Western Armenians created a special commission to prepare a new assembly. The Second Congress of Western Armenians took place in Yerevan from February 6 to 13, 1919.
The main objective of the congress was to determine the political future of the Armenian people and address the issue of uniting Eastern and Western Armenia into a single state.
Resolution on the Creation of a United Armenia
On February 12, 1919, the congress adopted a resolution outlining the principal political goals of the Western Armenians. The document declared support for Armenia’s independence and emphasized the necessity of uniting all Armenian lands into one state.
- welcomed the independence of Free and United Armenia;
- declared its firm intention to create a single political and state entity;
- instructed the Executive Body to cooperate with the government and parliament of the Yerevan Republic in proclaiming a united Armenia.
To implement these decisions, a nine-member Executive Body was established, tasked with operating until the formation of a united government.
Steps Toward the Unification of Armenia
On February 25, 1919, the petition of the Executive Body was approved by the coalition government formed by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and the People’s Party.
On May 26, the cabinet officially adopted the declaration on the unification of Armenia, and the following day the Executive Body was authorized to appoint twelve representatives of Western Armenians to the parliament.
The Declaration of May 28, 1919
On May 28, 1919, during the first anniversary of the Republic of Armenia, Prime Minister Alexander Khatisian solemnly read the declaration on the unification of Armenia.
The document proclaimed the restoration of the integrity of Armenian lands and the creation of an independent united state. The government declared that the divided parts of Armenia were henceforth united into a single political entity, and that the form of government of the new state would be a democratic republic.
The declaration also emphasized that the Armenian people were the sovereign masters of their united homeland, while the parliament and government served as the supreme legislative and executive authorities.
Inclusion of Western Armenians in Parliament
After the declaration was announced, Alexander Khatisian invited the twelve deputies representing Western Armenians to take their seats in parliament. Speaking on their behalf, Vahan Krmoyan pledged active participation in state governance.
The ceremonial event included speeches by parliament chairman Avetik Sahakyan, Catholicos Gevorg V, as well as congratulations from representatives of Georgia, Azerbaijan, Karabakh, and other delegations. Later, Khatisian read the declaration to the public from the balcony of the parliament building.
Political Consequences of the Declaration
Despite its symbolic significance, the declaration did not lead to the consolidation of Armenian society. The document, intended to emphasize Armenian unity and the aspiration to restore historical borders, instead intensified internal divisions.
Disagreements deepened between Russian Armenians and Turkish Armenians, as well as between supporters of the Dashnaktsutyun party and its opponents. An additional blow to political stability came when the People’s Party changed its position shortly after the celebrations, seriously weakening the coalition government.