During World War I, he successfully worked for bringing the Ottoman Empire into the war on the side of the Central Powers. Due to his long tenure and being the dean of the diplomatic corps in Constantinople, he was considered to wield a large influence over events in the Ottoman Empire. However, his role with regard to the Armenian Question has been debated by historians over the years and criticism has been raised that he did not protest loudly enough. The reports that he sent to Vienna clearly show that he was aware of the nature of the Ottoman initiative and that it involved a "centrally planned and organised extermination". Already in June 1915, he wrote to Vienna that "the Armenian population ... is not only being subjected to the greatest misery but also to a total extermination ("einer gänzlichen Ausrottung")". To his defence, however, records also show that he did protest but to no avail.