The Kurdish-Armenian Declaration of Solidarity (1919): When Two Peoples Chose Coexistence Over Conflict
- Rezan Babakir
- May 24
- 7 min read
Introduction
On 20 November 1919, in the corridors of the Paris Peace Conference, something remarkable happened. Sharif Pasha, the Kurdish representative, and Boghos Nubar Pasha, the head of the Armenian National Delegation, signed a joint declaration of solidarity — the Kurdo-Armenian Agreement. Two peoples who had been pitted against each other by the Ottoman Empire for centuries chose, at the most critical moment in modern Middle Eastern history, to stand together. They agreed that an independent Kurdistan and a united Armenia should be established side by side under the same mandatory power, with borders to be determined by the peace conference and mutual respect for minority rights.
The Kurdish-Armenian Declaration of Solidarity is one of the most inspiring — and ultimately one of the most tragic — moments in Kurdish diplomatic history. It demonstrated that Kurdish leaders were capable of sophisticated international diplomacy, that they recognised the shared suffering of Kurds and Armenians under Ottoman rule, and that they were willing to build a future based on coexistence rather than conflict. But the agreement was never implemented. The great powers ignored it. Turkish nationalists destroyed it. And both peoples were left stateless.
Contents
What Was the Kurdish-Armenian Declaration of Solidarity?
The Kurdish-Armenian Declaration of Solidarity (also known as the Kurdo-Armenian Agreement) was a joint statement signed on 20 November 1919 at the Paris Peace Conference by Sharif Pasha, representing the Kurdish delegation, and Boghos Nubar Pasha, head of the Armenian National Delegation. The declaration was an attempt to bridge the gap between competing Kurdish and Armenian territorial claims in the former Ottoman eastern provinces and to present a united front to the Allied powers.
The agreement stipulated that a united Armenia and an independent Kurdistan should be established under the same mandatory power. The drawing of the Kurdistan-Armenia border was left to the decision of the peace conference. Both future states would guarantee and respect the rights of their respective minorities. It was, in essence, a pact of mutual recognition: the Kurds recognised Armenian claims to statehood, and the Armenians recognised Kurdish claims to statehood — two peoples affirming each other’s right to exist as nations.
Key Takeaways
• Kurds and Armenians — two peoples who had been manipulated against each other by the Ottoman Empire — chose solidarity over rivalry at the most critical moment in their modern history.
• The agreement demonstrated Kurdish diplomatic sophistication — Sharif Pasha operated at the highest levels of international diplomacy, presenting a memorandum on Kurdish claims and negotiating directly with the Armenian delegation.
• Both delegations recognised each other’s right to statehood and committed to minority rights protections — a vision of coexistence that was far ahead of its time.
• The agreement was never implemented — the great powers ignored it, Turkish nationalists destroyed both the promise of Kurdish and Armenian statehood, and the Treaty of Lausanne (1923) erased Kurdistan from the map entirely.
Quick Facts
Declaration: Kurdish-Armenian Declaration of Solidarity (Kurdo-Armenian Agreement) Date: 20 November 1919 Signatories: Sharif Pasha (Kurdish delegation) and Boghos Nubar Pasha (Armenian National Delegation) Location: Paris Peace Conference, France Type: Joint declaration of solidarity and mutual recognition Key Terms: Independent Kurdistan and united Armenia established under the same mandatory power; Kurdistan-Armenia border determined by the peace conference; mutual respect for minority rights Context: Sharif Pasha had submitted a memorandum on Kurdish claims to the peace conference on 6 February 1919 Outcome: Never implemented; superseded by the Treaty of Sèvres (1920) and then erased by the Treaty of Lausanne (1923)
Historical Context: Two Peoples, One Oppressor
The relationship between Kurds and Armenians under Ottoman rule was complex and painful. Both peoples inhabited the eastern provinces of the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman government systematically used Kurdish tribes as instruments of violence against Armenian communities, most devastatingly during the Armenian Genocide of 1915–1916. Kurdish irregular cavalry — particularly the Hamidiye regiments — were deployed against Armenian villages. Many individual Kurds participated in the genocide, though others sheltered Armenian neighbours at great personal risk.
By 1919, with the Ottoman Empire defeated and the Paris Peace Conference reshaping the world, both Kurds and Armenians saw an opportunity for statehood. But their territorial claims overlapped significantly: the provinces of Van, Bitlis, Diyarbakır, and Erzurum were claimed by both peoples. The Allied powers encouraged Sharif Pasha and Boghos Nubar Pasha to resolve their competing claims through direct negotiation. The result was the Kurdo-Armenian Agreement — a declaration that, for one brief moment, imagined a future in which both peoples could live as independent neighbours.
The Declaration’s Terms: A Vision of Coexistence
The Kurdo-Armenian Agreement contained several key provisions. First, both parties agreed that an independent Kurdistan and a united Armenia should be established in the former Ottoman eastern provinces. Second, both states were to be placed under the same mandatory power — ensuring that neither would be used by a foreign empire against the other. Third, the precise border between Kurdistan and Armenia was to be determined by the peace conference, acknowledging that the overlapping claims were too complex to resolve bilaterally. Fourth, both states committed to respecting and protecting the rights of their respective minorities.
The agreement was pragmatic rather than idealistic. Both delegations understood that their claims overlapped and that neither could achieve statehood at the expense of the other. By presenting a united front, they hoped to demonstrate to the Allied powers that coexistence was possible and that both peoples deserved self-determination. It was a rare moment of inter-communal diplomacy in a region where imperial powers had always profited from division.
Sharif Pasha: Kurdish Diplomacy on the World Stage
Sharif Pasha was a Kurdish diplomat and former Ottoman ambassador who represented Kurdish interests at the Paris Peace Conference. On 6 February 1919, he submitted a formal memorandum to the peace conference outlining the claims of the Kurdish people — one of the earliest formal Kurdish demands for self-determination in international diplomacy. The memorandum argued for an independent Kurdish state in the former Ottoman eastern provinces, based on the principles of national self-determination that President Woodrow Wilson had championed.
Sharif Pasha’s diplomacy at Paris was a landmark in Kurdish political history. For the first time, a Kurdish representative operated at the highest level of international diplomacy, engaging directly with the Allied powers and negotiating with other national delegations as an equal. The Kurdo-Armenian Agreement was the fruit of this diplomacy — and it demonstrated that Kurdish political thought, even in 1919, was grounded in principles of coexistence, mutual recognition, and minority rights.
However, Sharif Pasha’s authority was contested. Many Kurdish tribal and political leaders inside Kurdistan did not recognise his mandate, and the British government was ambivalent about Kurdish statehood — preferring to incorporate Kurdish-populated areas into a British-controlled Iraq. The Kurdish delegation at Paris was undermined from within and without, and its achievements would be swept away by the geopolitical realities of the post-war settlement.
Timeline of Key Events
1915–1916 — Armenian Genocide; Kurdish irregular forces used by the Ottoman government against Armenian communities.
January 1919 — Paris Peace Conference opens; Kurdish and Armenian delegations attend.
6 February 1919 — Sharif Pasha submits his memorandum on Kurdish claims to the peace conference.
20 November 1919 — Kurdish-Armenian Declaration of Solidarity signed by Sharif Pasha and Boghos Nubar Pasha.
August 1920 — Treaty of Sèvres includes provisions for an autonomous Kurdistan and an independent Armenia.
1920–1923 — Turkish War of Independence; Mustafa Kemal defeats Allied plans for the region.
July 1923 — Treaty of Lausanne makes no mention of Kurdistan or Armenia; both peoples’ statehood erased.
1927 — Kurdish Khoyboun society, supported by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, leads the Republic of Ararat uprising.
Legacy and Significance for Kurdish History
The Kurdish-Armenian Declaration of Solidarity is significant because it represents the road not taken. In November 1919, Kurdish and Armenian leaders imagined a future in which both peoples could achieve statehood through cooperation rather than competition. They recognised each other’s claims, committed to minority protections, and presented a united front to the international community. It was a vision of coexistence in a region where empires had always profited from division.
The failure of the declaration is a tragedy shared by both peoples. The great powers at Paris never took Kurdish and Armenian solidarity seriously. The Treaty of Sèvres (1920) included provisions for both Kurdish autonomy and Armenian independence, but it was never implemented. The Turkish nationalist movement under Mustafa Kemal defeated the Allied plans, and the Treaty of Lausanne (1923) made no mention of either Kurdistan or Armenia. Both peoples were denied statehood — and the vision of coexistence articulated in November 1919 was buried under the geopolitics of the 20th century.
Yet the spirit of Kurdo-Armenian solidarity survived. In 1927, the Kurdish Khoyboun society, which led the Republic of Ararat uprising in eastern Turkey, was supported by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation. Kurdish and Armenian intellectuals continued to recognise their shared history of oppression and their common interest in challenging Turkish denial. Today, many Kurdish political movements have formally recognised the Armenian Genocide and called for reconciliation. The declaration of 1919 planted a seed that, a century later, continues to grow.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Kurdish-Armenian Declaration of Solidarity?
A joint declaration signed on 20 November 1919 at the Paris Peace Conference by Kurdish representative Sharif Pasha and Armenian leader Boghos Nubar Pasha. It called for an independent Kurdistan and a united Armenia under the same mandatory power, with borders determined by the peace conference and mutual minority rights protections.
Why did Kurds and Armenians cooperate in 1919?
Both peoples had overlapping territorial claims in the former Ottoman eastern provinces. Rather than compete — which would have weakened both — they agreed to present a united front to the Allied powers, mutually recognising each other’s right to statehood. They shared a history of oppression under Ottoman rule and recognised that cooperation offered a better path to self-determination than rivalry.
Why was the declaration never implemented?
The great powers at Paris did not prioritise Kurdish or Armenian statehood. The Treaty of Sèvres (1920) included provisions for both, but the Turkish nationalist movement defeated Allied plans. The Treaty of Lausanne (1923) made no mention of Kurdistan or Armenia, and both peoples were left stateless.
References and Further Reading
McDowall, D., A Modern History of the Kurds, I.B. Tauris, 2004.
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