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WOODROW WILSONS ARBITRAL AWARD HAS NO LEGAL POWER, RICHARD HOVANNISIAN SAYS
Sona Hakobyan
"Radiolur"
18.11.2011 18:32
Professor Richard G. Hovannisian, AEF Chair in Modern Armenian History
at UCLA, delivered a lecture on Woodrow Wilson's Arbitral Award today.
Under the Wilson's Arbitral Award, Armenia was granted the provinces of
Van, Bitlis, Erzurum, and Trabzon. US President Woodrow Wilson issued
the Arbitral Award on November 22, 1990, while the Supreme Council
of the Allied Powers had decided to apply to the President in April.
In reality, this was a trap, Richard Hovhannisian says. "They would
like to lay the responsibility for the Armenian Cause on Woodrow
Wilson. What's surprising is that Wilson fell into that trap. Why,
if he knew that the Senate would never accept that mandate? Senators
were advising him not to pose the question, as it could turn worse
for Armenians."
Wilson is a hero for Armenians today. However, his political mistakes
further contributed to the Armenian tragedy. "Look, the Supreme
Council applied to him in April, but the directive came to Senate
only in November. Wilson signed it in ten days, it was sent to the
US Ambassador in December. When the decision was handed to the great
powers, the Republic of Armenia had already stopped existing."
Part of Armenia was conquered by the Turkish army. The other part
voluntarily declared a Soviet Socialist Republic on December 2,
1920, which is now the Republic of Armenia. "If the Arbitral Award
was implemented, it would grant Armenia 160 000 square km instead of
the current 30 000."
As for the Treaty of Sevres, it was not ratified by any country. It
was followed by the Treaties of Moscow and Kars, as well as the Treaty
of Lausanne of 1923, with which the great powers actually buried the
Armenian Cause.
Thus, Richard Hovhannisian does not attribute any legal importance
to Wilson's Arbitral Award. He says, however, that the Armenian
authorities must use the document as a diplomatic tool and draw
lessons from the past not to face similar problems in the future.
Sona Hakobyan
"Radiolur"
18.11.2011 18:32
Professor Richard G. Hovannisian, AEF Chair in Modern Armenian History
at UCLA, delivered a lecture on Woodrow Wilson's Arbitral Award today.
Under the Wilson's Arbitral Award, Armenia was granted the provinces of
Van, Bitlis, Erzurum, and Trabzon. US President Woodrow Wilson issued
the Arbitral Award on November 22, 1990, while the Supreme Council
of the Allied Powers had decided to apply to the President in April.
In reality, this was a trap, Richard Hovhannisian says. "They would
like to lay the responsibility for the Armenian Cause on Woodrow
Wilson. What's surprising is that Wilson fell into that trap. Why,
if he knew that the Senate would never accept that mandate? Senators
were advising him not to pose the question, as it could turn worse
for Armenians."
Wilson is a hero for Armenians today. However, his political mistakes
further contributed to the Armenian tragedy. "Look, the Supreme
Council applied to him in April, but the directive came to Senate
only in November. Wilson signed it in ten days, it was sent to the
US Ambassador in December. When the decision was handed to the great
powers, the Republic of Armenia had already stopped existing."
Part of Armenia was conquered by the Turkish army. The other part
voluntarily declared a Soviet Socialist Republic on December 2,
1920, which is now the Republic of Armenia. "If the Arbitral Award
was implemented, it would grant Armenia 160 000 square km instead of
the current 30 000."
As for the Treaty of Sevres, it was not ratified by any country. It
was followed by the Treaties of Moscow and Kars, as well as the Treaty
of Lausanne of 1923, with which the great powers actually buried the
Armenian Cause.
Thus, Richard Hovhannisian does not attribute any legal importance
to Wilson's Arbitral Award. He says, however, that the Armenian
authorities must use the document as a diplomatic tool and draw
lessons from the past not to face similar problems in the future.