STATEMENT

Considering the new situation created by the dissolution of the political unity of Transcaucasia and the declarations of independence by Georgia and Azerbaijan, the Armenian National Council proclaims itself the supreme and sole authority of the Armenian provinces. For important reasons, and in order to postpone the formation of an Armenian national government for the coming days, the National Council temporarily assumes all governmental functions in order to carry out the political and administrative governance of the Armenian provinces.

Armenian National Council, May 30, 1918, Tbilisi
Simon Vratsian, “Republic of Armenia,” Yerevan, “Hayastan,” pages 159–162

Why is May 28, 1918 considered Independence Day, when the previous date, December 29, 1917, marks the day when former “Turkish Armenia” was recognized as independent by Russia?

In reality, the Republic of Eastern Armenia, which celebrated its 35th anniversary last year, commemorated on May 28, 2026, the 108th anniversary of the declaration of sovereignty of certain Armenian territories (Caucasian regions) in 1918–1919.

However, it should be remembered that this declaration was signed in Tbilisi on May 30, 1918, under the title “Armenian Regions” (Armenian provinces), and not under the name “Republic of Armenia.”

From a historical and legal perspective, the error is even more serious in the sense that presenting the “Republic of Armenia” as the first republic is incorrect. In reality, the first internationally recognized independent Armenian state was Western Armenia (“Turkish Armenia”), which was recognized as independent by a Russian decree on December 29, 1917, and not the “Republic of Caucasian Armenia.”

Moreover, the “Republic of Armenia” of 1918 was proclaimed by members of the Dashnaktsutyun party to the detriment of the statehood of Western Armenia, which at that moment was occupied by the army of the Ottoman Empire during the First World War.

While Armenian troops — the forces of the Eastern Legion — were liberating Cilicia and placing the Turkish army in a difficult position, and while General Andranik’s forces were suffering defeat in Erzurum due to the lack of support from the Armenian National Council in Tbilisi, five days after the proclamation — on June 4, 1918 (one week after the victory of Sardarapat) — the Dashnaktsutyun was negotiating with the Turks in Batumi regarding the borders of the emerging Republic of Caucasian Armenia, with a territory of 12,800 km², conceding Syunik, Karabakh, Lori regions, and half of Lake Sevan to Azerbaijan.

It should be recalled that the Treaty of Batumi was signed between the Republic of Armenia and the Ottoman Empire on June 4, 1918. It consisted of 14 articles. General Garegin Nzhdeh challenged this agreement and severed relations with the Dashnaktsutyun, forming the Republic of Mountainous Armenia (Zangezur).

The celebration of the independence of the Republic of Armenia of 1918 also means legitimizing Azerbaijan’s claims over the above-mentioned territories — that is, those regions which, through the celebration of that republic, are recognized as disputed territories.

Therefore, the issue is complex. Should the declaration of independence of a republic recognized by the Ottoman Empire (Treaty of Batumi) be celebrated after the genocide of the people of Western Armenia, when neither side took into account that the program for the extermination of the Armenian population of Western Armenia had been carried out during the First World War, while the Eastern Legion (the Armenian army of Western Armenia and Cilicia) was fighting against Turkey as part of the Entente (which in reality was an agreement concluded with the enemy)?

To be continued…

May 28, 1918 refers only to the declaration of independence of Azerbaijan.
http://www.western-armenia.eu/news/Actualite/2017/A_force_de_jouer_avec_le_feu_on_finit_par_se_bruler-28.05.2017.pdf