Mehmed Talat Paşha

“ Rumania promised the world to remain neutral during the present war. Serbia belongs to one of the hostile parties. To give a written promise to Bulgaria, encouraging her to war with Serbia, would mean to use our neutrality in favor of one of the combating nations. This act, therefore, would be the negation of our promise. Consequently, to sign a written agreement in favor of one of the combating parties is against our interest and our national honor. But verbally I promise you that Rumania will not change her neutral attitude, even if Bulgaria should declare war against Serbia. ”

“ After these facts we could hardly believe that England would fulfill her assurance of integrity. It was true, however, that the Allies earnestly desired our neutrality. In many cases, for instance in the purchase of the German ships the Goeben and the Breslau, and in the abolition of the capitulations, they never went further than a formal protest, and never tried to break political relations with Turkey. The Allies, who were fighting against a formidable enemy, and who knew not what the result of the war would be, appreciated the importance of even a small and weak nation going against them. ”

“ The German Government, however, did not appear enthusiastic about it, and in its answer expressed the belief that Turkey was too weak to make an alliance with Germany; that an alliance might be useful only if contracted at a propitious time, and that for the moment the time was not ripe for such a union. All our endeavors to find an ally failed because of this fact. The European powers wished a strong and powerful ally to help them. In the Summer of 1914, however, Germany, to our surprise, revived our old suggestion and proposed to consider it anew. ”

“ If Bulgaria joins the Allies against Turkey, our capital will be exposed to a danger which neither Germany nor the Turkish Army can prevent. Therefore, it will be an unsafe adventure for Turkey to enter the war, unless Bulgaria decisively defines her position. It is possible to win the help of Bulgaria, as there is a hostile feeling among the Bulgarians against Serbia. If Germany can induce Bulgaria to go against the Serbs, Turkey will be glad to fulfill her engagement. ”

“ Consequently, no matter whether the Allies were victorious or not, if we did not take part on one side or the other, Turkey was doomed. In both cases the victorious party would punish Turkey for her inaction, and would try to satisfy its political ambitions against the empire. ”

“ When we entered the great war, these bandits began their destructive activities in the rear of the Turkish Army on the Caucasus front, blowing up the bridges, setting fire to the Turkish towns and villages and killing the innocent Mohammedan inhabitants, regardless of age and sex. ”

“ Trying, on the one hand, to get the help of the other Ambassadors at Constantinople to frustrate the consequences of the Russian note, we gave, on the other hand, a telegraphic order to Hakky Pasha at London to sign an agreement with England and secure her help for the realization of a constructive program by the Turkish Government in the eastern provinces. According to the Treaty of Berlin, the integrity of these Turkish provinces, where our interests were clashing with those of Russia, was assured by England. ”

“ Italy, although one of the allied members, has not yet joined the Central Powers ; though the neutrality of Belgium has been assured by international treaties, Germany herself has not respected her own signature. ”

“ Day by day our position became more and more difficult. The addition of the German naval mission to the German military organization, the increasing number of German officers and crews, and their ever-growing influence in Constantinople rendered the situation very critical. Just at this moment the incident of the Black Sea occurred. The German Admiral Sushon, taking some of the strongest ships of the Turkish fleet, went out on the Black Sea, attacked the Russian fleet and bombarded some of the Russian ports. ”

“ These two warships were ordered from England at the cost of a tremendous sacrifice on the part of the Turkish people. Poor and rich alike had shared in the expense. The Turkish women had sacrificed their valuable jewels for these ships. In spite of all our efforts and protests, we lost them, because England refused to give ear to our representations. ”

“ Those who looted the goods of the deported Armenians were easily punishable, and we punished them. But there was another group, who sincerely believed that the general interest of the community necessitated the punishment alike of those Armenians who massacred the guiltless Mohammedans and those who helped the Armenian bandits to endanger our national life. ”

“ At the end of a long and animated discussion, we authorized Said Halim Pasha, the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, to see the allied representatives, particularly the Russian Ambassador, and to try to settle the matter peacefully. ”

“ They spread death and terror all over the eastern provinces, and endangered the Turkish Army's line of retreat. All these Armenian bandits were helped by the native Armenians. When they were pursued by the Turkish gendarmes, the Armenian villages were a refuge for them. When they needed help, the Armenian peasants around them, taking their arms hidden in their churches, ran to their aid. ”

“ Their open and immediate punishment would have aroused great discontent among the people, who favored their acts. An endeavor to arrest and to punish all these promoters would have created anarchy in Anatolia at a time when we greatly needed unity. ”

“ The German and Austrian Ambassadors continued playing their tricks to lead us into the war, and the allied representatives endeavored to avoid breaking political relations with the Porte. The Porte, between these two opposing forces, tried to delay war as long as possible. ”

“ When we signed the agreement there was no prospect of war. Immediately after the signature of this document the incidents followed which ended in the World War. When we signed the agreement there was no prospect of war. Bui. ”