Treaty of Turkmenchay 190th anniversary commemorating events started in Yerevan

ArmInfo. Events commemorating the 190th anniversary of the Treaty of Turkmenchay started in Yerevan with the participation of Armenian politicians, representatives of expert and scientific circles of Armenia and Russia.

Vice-Speaker of the Armenian Parliament, candidate of historical sciences Eduard Sharmazanovt, noted at the International Scientific and Practical Conference "Turkmanchai World - 190th Anniversary: Istria and Modernity" that the signing of the Treaty of Turkmenchay and the creation of the Armenian region were the most important step on the way of restoration of the Armenian statehood. "The Armenian region had its own coat of arms with Armenian symbols - Mount Ararat with Noah's Ark and Etchmiadzin Cathedral. The Armenian culture received a strong impetus for development," the Vice-Speaker said, adding that later many sons of the Armenian people left their deepest trace in strengthening the Russian victorious army, and already in the middle of the 20th century, Armenians and Russians fought side by side against Hitler's fascism. "The latest history of the Armenian-Russian relations is the path of two natural allies, our alliance is developing in the military, political, cultural, economic and spiritual spheres," the Armenian vice-speaker concluded.

The adviser-envoy of the Russian Embassy, Andrey Ivanov, addressed the conference participants on behalf of the Russian Ambassador to Armenia Ivan Volynkin. In the ambassador's message of greetings, in particular, the exclusive role of the Treaty of Turkmenchay was stressed in the fate of the Armenian people, after signing the document more than 140 thousand Armenians from Turkey and Iran moved to their homeland. "The treaty opened a new page in the history of the Armenian and Russian peoples, showed that they are capable of overcoming many difficulties together. Today, the historical parallels between the two nations are cemented by dozens of interstate treaties and allied relations," the diplomat summed up.

Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia Ruben Safrastyan, stated that the signing of the Turkmanchay agreement laid the foundation for the process of creating a new Armenian statehood, contributed to the consolidation of the Armenian people. According to him, the treaty played a key role in involving the Armenian people in world processes. "But the most important thing is that the Turkmenchay agreement was consistent with the political realities of not only the last century, but continues to correspond to today's realities," the scientist summed up. Member of the Board of the Russian Historical Society, Konstantin Mogilevsky noted that the primary goal of Russia's entry into the war with Persia in such difficult times for it, first of all, was to help the fraternal Armenian people. According to him, the signing of the Turkmanchay agreement laid the foundation for a new stage of Russian-Armenian friendship and the formation of Armenian statehood.

The deputy of the Armenian parliament Hayk Babukhanyan also noted that it was the Treaty of Turkmanchay that laid the foundation for Armenia's current integration into the CSTO and the EAEU and the allied partnership with Russia. "The struggle for influence in the Transcaucasian region, as it was 200 years ago, continues to this day, Turkey, up to the present day, seeks to increase its influence in our region, and to maintain stability in the South Caucasus it is necessary to strengthen the Moscow-Yerevan-Tehran vertical, and the basis of peace is the inaccessibility of Artsakh," the deputy concluded.

Tomorrow, the events timed to the 190th anniversary of the Turkmenchay Treaty will continue in Gyumri. The organizers of the events are the Russian Center of Science and Culture in Yerevan, the NGO "Association of Regional Scientific and Educational Centers", the Research and Analytical NGO "Integration and Development" with the participation of the Moscow State University Branch in Yerevan.

The Treaty of Turkmanchay was an agreement between Persia (Iran) and the Russian Empire, which concluded the Russo-Persian War (1826-28). It was signed on 10 February 1828 in Torkamanchay, Iran. By the treaty, Persia ceded to Russia control of several areas in the South Caucasus. The boundary between Russian and Persia was set at the Aras River.