The Armenian reform package (1914) was an Ottoman Empire reform solution by which an inspector general would be appointed to oversee Armenian issues.[1] The inspector general would be the highest position in vilayets where many Armenians lived. This project was prepared by A. Mandelstam (Dragoman, Russian Embassy in Istanbul), and Armenian representatives of Armenian national assembly.The reform package was signed into law on February 1914.[1] It was abolished on 16 December 1914.
The Balkan wars had created an opportunity for the revival of new plans to improve the legal condition of Ottoman Armenians. The French, British and Italians were anxious to limit German influence in the Ottoman Empire, while the Russian government encouraged the Catholicos of Armenia to appeal through the viceroy of the Caucasus to the imperial government for intervention in favor of reforms in Armenian-inhabited vilayets. This project was prepared by A. Mandelstam (Dragoman, Russian Embassy in Istanbul), and Armenian representatives. It was introduced and discussed in Constantinople at a meeting of the ambassadors of France, Britain and Italy. The project suggested the formation of a single province from six vilayets (Erzurum, Van, Bitlis, Diyarbakır, Kharput and Sivas) under either an Ottoman Christian or a European governor general. The governor general was to be appointed by the Powers for the ensuing five years. Germany opposed the project and succeeded in obtaining significant modifications. The reform package was signed on February 1914, between the Ottoman Empire and Russia. The package developed two provinces out of these six vilayets and assigned a European inspector general to oversee Armenian affairs.[1]