THE PROBLEM OF REFORMING THE ARMENIAN VILAYETS OF TURKEY IN THE POLITICS OF THE LEADING POWERS IN 1908-1914

Abstract

The current problem of the South Caucasus and Russian-Turkish interaction requires constantly to look back to the historical past, where the roots of all Caucasian ethno-territorial conflicts lie. In this regard, the problem of reforming the Armenian vilayets of the Ottoman Empire is urgent for modern international relations. Neither the genocide, nor the current difficulties of the Armenian-Turkish relations can be adequately considered without studying the situation around Armenia at the beginning of the 20th century.Above all, the author examines the problem of reforming the Armenian regions of the Ottoman Empire, taking into account the interests of the leading powers and is placed in the context of the pre-war peace and bloc confrontation. The main research approach of the study is neorealism, which makes the basis of international relations not only states with their interests, but also alliances of states. In addition to the published musical correspondence of Russian diplomats, the work uses sources of personal origin: the memoirs of S. D. Sazonov - the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Empire, the memoirs of the American Ambassador G. Morgenthau, the diary of the Dutch inspector Louis Konstan Westenenk, archival documents with A. Mandelstam's report on reform projects were introduced into scientific circulation. The study released that the most persistent and consistent position on the reforms of the Armenian vilayets was taken by Russia, which sought to secure the Caucasus, adjacent to Turkey. Refugees were striving from the vilayets to the Russian part of Armenia, therefore, calming down the Armenian population in the Turkish part would contribute to stability in the Caucasian outskirts. However, there was no unanimity in the Entente on the Armenian issue, the outbreak of the First World War prevented the implementation of the project prepared on the eve of the war, as a result, everything turned into genocide for the Armenian people.