Sir Layard Henry, the then Ambassador of Great Britain in Constantinople, was ordered to keep in close contact with the sultan and, in the interest of the Ottoman Empire, put pressure on the sultan realise the reforms, regarding the Armenian provinces, outlined in paragraph 61 of the Berlin Treaty. 63 Salisbury presented a plan of reform which dealt with the policy, taxation and judicial systems in the Armenian provinces under European supervision. 64
As a form of persuasion to the sultan, Salisbury also added a loan of 6 million lira to the reform plan.
Throughout this period, reports coming in from the military consuls pointed to the indisputable occurrence of disorder and signs of an oppressive regime, in a country where the Armenian population was constantly subjected to robbery, harassment, assault and murder. 65
Salisbury continued his efforts 66, but Sultan Abdul Hamid, knowing that Disraeli was still the prime minister, ignored him.
In May, 1880, Gladstone replaced Disraeli as prime minister of Great Britain. This great politician had never concealed his interest in protecting the oppressed people under Ottoman rule and his opposition towards the policy of Disraeli. 67 He replaced Sir Henry Layard, with Goschen as the ambassador of Great Britain in Constantinople, and together with his foreign minister, Lord Granville, he officially demanded that the sultan put in place the reforms of the Berlin Treaty. Regarding the border question in Montenegro and Greece, Gladstone undertook the strenuous task of forcing the Ottoman government to adhere to the treaty items and to obey the decision of the major powers. Up to this point the Ottoman government had been defending the rebellions in Dolsega, whilst the Berlin Treaty clearly stated that this area must be returned to Montenegro, Gladstone issued an ultimatum forcing the sultan to respect the treaty and sent a warship to Izmir threatening to confiscate the customs of the harbour.
However, Gladstone failed in his efforts to persuade the sultan to fulfil the items of the Berlin Treaty regarding the Armenian Question, since Gladstone lacked support from other major powers.
As instructed by his government, Goschen also continued his negotiations with the Ottoman government about the implementation of the reforms in Armenia. 70 Having dealt for some length of time with the same cold treatment from the Ottoman government, complete with excuses and evasive answers regarding the Armenian Question, the representatives of the major powers in Constantinople, on June 11, 1880, drew up a document, similar to the one that the British ambassador had handed over to the Ottoman government. In this document they described the miserable situation in the Armenian provinces and stated resolutely that their respective government "can not accept that the terms of the Berlin Treaty in regard to this issue are not implemented." 71
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