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Behind the scenes, Disraeli was drafting a secret treaty with the Ottoman Empire, which was signed on June 14, 1878, in Cyprus. According to this clandestine treaty, England promised to evict Russia from the provinces of Western Armenia which they occupied before the implementation of the promised reforms. In return, the sultan undertook to "implement necessary reforms for the improvement of the administrative rule and the protection of the Christian inhabitants and other minorities under the rule of the Sublime Port, measures which the two governments (British and Ottoman) later would put a stop to…" 16
As a token of appreciation for this treaty and the favour involved, England received the island of Cyprus from the Ottoman Empire. 17
This Cyprus Treaty, to the advantage of England 18 and to for the very great disadvantage of the Armenians, is one of the greatest blots in England's political history. 19 Indeed, Disraeli's policy during these few months resulted in the resignation of his two ministers, Lord Carnavon (minister for colonial affairs) and Lord Derby (foreign minister), who refused to have a part in the indecent actions of Disraeli. 22
The echoing voice of Gladstone in the House of Commons was just in denouncing the greed and the trickery of Disraeli. 23
The implementation of the treaty, therefore, saw the Russian evacuation of Western Armenia before the implementation of the reforms, for which England then took on the responsibility. 24 The English historian, Baxton, proposes that the massacres from 1895 to 1896, and later the genocide of 1915, most possibly would never have taken place had Russia been allowed to remain in Western Armenia to oversee the implementation of the reforms.
In other words, the Armenian Question, as it emerged in modern Europe, became a pawn on in the power struggle between Russia and England. 25
When the Berlin Congress began on June 13, 1878, the Cyprus Treaty had already been signed but was kept secret so that the English delegation could defend the integrity of the Ottoman Empire.
The delegation sent to defend the rights of the Armenians during the Berlin Congress consisted of Khrimian Hayrik, the future Catholicos, Priest Narbeh, Minas Tcheraz and S. Papazian.28 The delegation left Constantinople 29 for Berlin and stopped on its way in Rome, Paris and London. In the last city they were received by Gladstone, Lord Salisbury, James Bryce and several other English defenders of Christian rights in the Orient.
During the Congress, the Armenian delegates met with the constant hostility of Bismarck 30 and Disraeli but were received warmly by the head of the French delegation and the two English representatives, Waddington and Lord Salisbury.
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16) For the complete text of the Cypress Treaty sse G. Noradounghian, Recueil des Actes internationaux de l'Empire Ottoman, Paris, 1897-1903, vol. III, p. 522
17) It should be pointed out that the young Benjamin Disraeli, in his book Tancréde, in 1847, has written this predictary sentance: "England needs the island of Cypress and will receive it as a reward. England will no longer do Turkey any favours for free".
18) About the views of Disraelis see W. S. Blunt, Secret History of the English Occupation of Egypt, London, 1907, p. 31-33
19) See J. L. Hammond, Gladstone and the Irish Nation, London, 1938, p. 738-739
22) J. Morley, Life of Gladstone, London, 1911 edition, vol. II, p. 182
23) Gladstone says: "I value our insular position but I dread the day when we shall be reduced to a moral insularity".
24) About England's responsibility towards the Armenians because of the Cypress treaty, refer to the article of Gladstone, The Massacares in Turkey, Ninteenth Century Review, October 1896; See also Duke of Argyll, Our responsibilities for Turkey, London, 1896; T. Bowles, The Cypres Convention, London, 1896; J. Bryce, Preface to N. and H. Buxton, Travels and Politics in Armenia, London, 1914; D. Lloyd George, The Truth about the Peace Treaties, London, 1938, vol. II, p. 1014, 1256 and 1257; M. Mac Coll, England's Responsibility to Turkey, London, 1896; J. Morley, the Life of the Gladstone, London, 1911, vol. II, p. 183-186; A. Sarkissian, History of the Armenian Question to 1885, Urbana, 1938, p. 76
25) H. Temperley, A History of the Peace Conference, London, 1924, p. 80
28) Minas Tcheraz and S. Papazian have published their memoirs from this mission and an English translation of Tcheraz' memoirs has been published with the title Reminiscences of a delegate to the Congress of Berlin, London, 1892, in the Armenian new paper.
29) According to V. Berard, the Armenian delegation left Constantinople with an agreement from the bankrupt Ottoman government (Revue de Paris, January 1, 1897, p. 74). But, A. Sarkissian thinks that the Ottoman government, with the knowledge about the support from the English government, did everything in its power to prevent the presence of the Armenian delegation at the congress.
30) B. Bareilles, Le Rapport secret dur le Congrès de Berlin de Carathéodory Pacha, Paris, p. 1919, p. 71
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