British Document on the Systematic Killings of Armenians in Historical Armenia – May 23, 1915

The government of the United Kingdom along with the governments of France and the Russian Empire adopted the following cooperative declaration on May 21, 1915.

“During the past month, the slaughter of Armenians was being carried out by the Turks and Kurds with the connivance and sometimes even the direct assistance of the Ottoman government. Similar massacres occurred in mid-April in Erzurum, Bitlis, Mush, Sasun, Zeytun, and throughout the entirety of Cilicia.

The inhabitants of hundreds of villages in the vicinity of Van were killed all without exception. At the same time, the Ottoman government carried out oppressions of the Armenian population of Constantinople.

In connection with those crimes against humanity and civilization committed by Turkey, the Ally government publicly announced to the Sublime Porte that they are holding responsible every member of the Ottoman government along with its agents for the Armenian massacres.”

PRO, FO371/2488/63095.

Viscount Bryce’s Speech in the House of Lords

“I have to sorrowfully report that the news which had reached me from various locations attest that the number of casualties reaches 800.000, a quantity deemed unbelievable by the noble count, albeit those numbers are quite likely to represent the total casualties since May. That’s because the carried out events are fully planned and systematical. The massacres are the result of the policy which – as far as we have found out – was planned by a band of criminals who today control the government of the Turkish Empire.”

House of Lords, Hansard (5th Series), Vol. XIX, October 6, 1915, Cols. 994-1004.

Report about the forcible deportations of Armenians from Ayntap and Marash, Lord Robert Cecil, Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

“I think it may be said, without the least fear of exaggeration, that no more horrible crime has been committed in the history of the world…. This is a premeditative crime determined on long ago…. it was a long-considered, deliberate policy to destroy and wipe out of existence the Armenians in Turkey. It was systematically carried out. It was ordered from above…”

House Of Commons, Hansard (5th Series), Vol. LXXV, November 16, 1915, Cols. 1770-1776.

The situation in provinces near the northern Syrian border. The British Consulate in Aleppo, November 15, 1922.

“My Lord,

I have the honor of informing you that on the 8th of November, the Turks notified the Armenians of Ayntap, Marash, and of the territories up until Birecik in the west of the province that they must leave the country within a month. This was done in accordance with the policy that forbids Christians to stay in Turkey. There are 3.000 Armenians living in Ayntap now, while in the past, there used to live 40.000 Armenians here.

The French consular representative in Ayntap monsieur de Sandford was moved to Adana but wasn’t replaced with anyone.

Yours respectfully, Your humble servant James Morgan” PRO FO 371/7875/18/E 13426 genocide-museum.am