562) Armenian Letters From The Euphrates Basin

ELAZIG - Letters of Armenians particularly living in Southeastern Anatolia region in the recent period of the Ottoman Empire envision collapse of the empire soon and establishment of an independent Armenian state with the support of Europe and Russia.. .

Firat University Lecturer Ergunoz Akcora told A.A correspondent that the Armenians, who were living freely under the protection of the Ottoman Empire, were exploited for the political reasons by the imperialist states, starting as of mid-19th century.

Akcora said Armenians were provoked by western states and Russia to revolt against the Ottomans. He said the letters which the Armenians wrote each other were tools for this provocation.

Speaking about the letters, written by the Armenian committee members of the period, Akcora said, ''letter of Bagos Seferyan, written in 1915 to Nekter Seferyan residing in Bitlis, said 'be sure that we will celebrate the next Easter within Armenia's independence festivities. There will not be Ottoman Empire anymore.''

''Again in 1914, Bedros Haruntanyan wrote a letter to his father Varter Haruntanyan living in Bitlis and said, 'my dear father. This is my last letter to you. I will join Armenian volunteers to crush Turks. Armenia will be free and independent,'' Akcora said.

Akcora also said Armenians living in Europe and the United States wrote letters to Armenians living in Anatolia to provoke them. He added that the letters were evidences proving that Armenians got financial support from other Armenians by force.

''When taken into consideration those written in those letters, it is clearly understood that the aim is to incite Armenians to armed attacks,'' Akcora said.

4/7/2006

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