French-Armenian Agreement (1916)
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French-Armenian Agreement October 27, 1916, was the political and military accord regarding the support of Armenian nationalist (Armenian national liberation movement) on the side of allies for the World War One. The agreement was reported to the Talat Pasha, Ottoman Empire, and a copy of this information was found in the Ottoman Archives [1]. Negotiations performed with leadership of Boghos Nubar from Armenian side. It was initiated (directed to) with Quai d'Orsay (French Ministry Foreign Affairs). Foreign Minister Aristide Briand seized this opportunity to provide troops for French commitment made in Sykes-Picot Agreement, which was still secret. [2]. Armenian leadership also meet with Sir Mark Sykes and Georges-Picot. The Armenian support which will be named as French Armenian Legion was planned under command of General Edmund Allenby, however extend to original agreement, Armenians fought in Palestine, Syria. Finally, after the armistice of Mudros in Cilicia. The from the agreement, it took less then a month to the official decision regarding the establishment of the Armenian Legion November 15, 1916 in Paris. Support won the plaudits of Clemenceau’s government and its Entente allies." [3]
The parties agreed to the following:
- The aim of creating the Legion was to allow Armenians' contribution to the liberation of Cilicia region in Ottoman Empire and help them to realize their national aspirations of creating a state in that region.
- The Legion was to fight only Ottoman Empire and only in Clicia.
- The Legion was to become the core of a planned future Armenian Army.
