Ashot Melkonyan: ‘After the Treaty of Turkmenchay, Foreigners did not enter into Eastern Armenia until 1917’

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, ARMENPRESS: On February 10, 1828 Imperial Russia and Persia signed a treaty in Turkmenchay, Persia. By this treaty, Persia recognized Russian suzerainty over the Erivan khanate, the Nakhchivan khanate, and the remainder of the Talysh khanate: Aras River was established as the common boundary between the empires.

According to Ashot Melkonyan, head of the RA NAS institute of history, a great significance was attached to the Turkmenchay Treaty in the Soviet period and it was described as a symbol of liberation of the Armenian nation. He said the approach towards the treaty has been changed since the independence. ‘The majority of historians share the viewpoint of Leo, who describes the event as the lesser of the two evils. However, in accordance with the agreement, reached within the framework of the treaty, the Persian-Armenians managed to return to Armenia’s territory, which belonged to the Russian Empire.

The return of Persian-Armenians had a great significance, especially when we take into account the fact, that a few Armenians remained in the Erivan and Nakhchivan khanate,’ the historian said. He added that the liberation of Eastern Armenia caused a desire among the Armenians to gain independence. ‘Though we could not gain independence with that agreement, foreigners did enter into Eastern Armenia until 1917,’ Ashot Melkonyan said.