Armenian reform package
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Armenian reform package (1914) was an Ottoman Empire reform solution to appoint an inspector general over Armenian issues[1]. Inspector general will be the highest position in the vilayets that Armenians live. This project was prepared by the A. Mandelstam (Dragoman, Russian Embassy in Istanbul), and Armenian representatives of Armenian national assembly.The reform package was signed on February 1914 [1]. It was abolished on 16 December 1914.
The Balkan wars created an opportunity for revival of new design in order to improve the Ottoman Armenians. The French-Britain-Italy was anxious to limit the German influence, Russian government encouraged the Catholicos of Armenia to appeal through the viceroy of the caucuses to the imperial government (Ottoman Empire) for an intervention in favor of reforms in the vilayets that Armenians live. This project was prepared by the A. Mandelstam (Dragoman, Russian Embassy in Istanbul), and Armenian representatives. It was introduced and discussed in Constantinople in the meeting of the ambassadors of French-Britain-Italy. The project suggested the formation of one province from six vilayets (Erzurum, Van, Bitlis, Diyarbakir, Kharput and Sivas) under either an Ottoman Christian or a European governor general. Governor general should be appointed by the powers for the next five years. Germany opposed the project and succeeded in pressuring to remodel it. The reform package was signed on February 1914, between Ottoman Empire and Russia. The package developed two provinces by these six vilayets and assigning European inspector general to overlook at the affairs[1].
