2346) Even One Span Of Land Cannot Be Given To Armenians

The Commander of 12th Army Corps, Colonel Selahattin informed Mustafa Kemal from Afyonkarahisar via a telegraph that he sent to Erzurum on 12 August 1919 about the decisions taken by the various Parties, which had collaborated, for presenting the American commission. According to the decisions the following would be proposed:

“1) Founding an Armenian state at the Eastern borders of Turkey for preventing the division of the Eastern lands that are resided by Turkish and Kurdish majority and for assisting Turkey to take advantage of Wilson’s principle of self-determination, 2) America’s assistance to Turks and Kurds for the afore-mentioned intention, 3) Ensuring the movement of the Armenians at Sivas and Erzincan to the borders of new Armenia, 4) Knowing that giving land to the Armenians would not mean giving land to an independent Armenia, but to an Armenia, which would be guided by a great and a civilized country, 5) Sending a person from the American Commission to there with this intention, 6) the legitimate decision on the issue would be left to the members of parliament.”

Mustafa Kemal stated the following in his respond to the Commander of 12th Army Corps on 21 August 1919 and demanded to be sent as it is to Istanbul:

“The decisions taken by the various political Parties in Istanbul, which had collaborated, for presenting the American commission was met with great regret at the representative committee of the “Müdafaa-i Hukuk” Association. Even a span of land, where Turks and Kurds are the majority, would not be given to Armenians. Considering that a heavy Armenian population is residing in Sivas and Erzincan results from a great deal of ignorance. The Parties and associations in Istanbul should know the limits of their own authority.”

Meanwhile, Mustafa Kemal was informing Ali Fuat Pasha, the Commander of the 20th Army Corps who was in Ankara, from Erzurum by a telegraph. According to the information that was sent to Ali Fuat Pasha by Kara Vasif Bey:

“If the guidance of America is accepted, then we will catch the opportunity to expel the other bastards (in other words England, France and Italy) and we would only encounter with the Americans; and it would be much easier to deal with them.”

Mustafa Kemal stated the following at the telegraph dated 19.08.1919, which was sent via Ali Fuat Pasha, the Commander of the 20th Army Corps to Kara Vasfi bey in Istanbul:

“It is significant to examine very carefully and compare the mentioned American guidance and assistance with our national goal. Considering that the ones in Istanbul, who works with the intention to ensure the national unity, integrity, independence and sovereignty, would this goal be immune when the guidance of America is accepted? So, by this way he notified that any decision that is not approved by the nation would not be recognized.

Atatürk gave all of these telegraphs, as it is, at “Nutuk”.

Even One Span of Land cannot be Given to Armenians
The Commander of 12th Army Corps, Colonel Selahattin informed Mustafa Kemal from Afyonkarahisar via a telegram

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