Bolshevik Leaders correspondence

Bolshevik leadership Correspondence. 1912-1927
Collection of documents 1996.
Compiled by: A.V.Kvashonkin, L.P.Kosheleva, L.A.Rogovaya, O.V.Khlevnyuk.

G. V. Chicherin to I. V. Stalin

March 10, 1921

Comrade Stalin.

Dear comrade,

The Turkish delegation 1 declared that it had an imperative mandate to conclude a written, and not oral, agreement on our assistance to it in arms and gold. She did not mention this before, and, recalling all the conversations and negotiations with her, I am convinced that she has come up with it now.

The amount of 150,000,000 gold rubles named by the Turks is, undoubtedly, the request of the Eastern people. Last year, Bekir-Sami insisted on 8,000,000 rubles. The Central Committee agreed to issue 7,000,000 rubles in gold, of which the Turks had already received 3,000,000 rubles. So, it remains to receive another 2,000,000 rubles. We told them about these 2,000,000 rubles. and in general the figure of 5,000,000 has not yet been spoken of, but all the time it has been said only in a general form that some more help will be rendered. For their budget, this, of course, is an insignificant help. In view of the fact that we can give very little weapons, they insist on issuing a large amount of gold so that they themselves can purchase weapons.

This point plays an essentially enormous role, because rapprochement with us gives the Turks very little real if we do not help them in such a tangible way. If they are not helped, they may actually see themselves forced to change their policies. Therefore, this point deserves especially serious attention.

With communist greetings [Chicherin].

RTSKHIDNI. F. 5. Op. 2. D. 315. L. 34. Typewritten text.

Notes:

oneWe are talking about the Turkish delegation at the talks in Moscow on the settlement of territorial issues on the Armenian-Turkish border after the Sovietization of Armenia. On December 2, 1921, the Armenian Dashnak government signed the Treaty of Alexandropol with the Turkish government. In accordance with the agreement, Nakhichevan, Sharur, Shakhtakhty passed under the protectorate of Turkey. In exchange, Turkey pledged to provide military assistance to the Dashnaks. The Russian Soviet government, using the help of Kemal in the Sovietization of Armenia, although it sought to preserve the maximum of the Armenian territory, nevertheless saw Kemal as a possible ally in the further Sovietization of the region. The people's commissariats for foreign affairs and nationalities negotiated with the Turks. Stalin, who met with the Turkish delegation on March 9, 1921, had a significant influence on their outcome (Stalin I.V. Op. T. 5. S. 424). On March 16, 1921, the Soviet-Turkish Treaty "On Friendship and Brotherhood" was signed in Moscow. The border of Turkey was defined along the northern administrative border of the Ardagan and Kars senjaks. At the same time, a decision was made on further assistance to Turkey with money and weapons, provided that it respects Soviet interests in Georgia. Knowing well the price of political promises, on March 19, 1921, Stalin telegraphed Ordzhonikidze: “According to the agreement with the Turks, already signed, Batum withdraws from Georgia [...] Try to expel the Turks from Batum with a strong blow, and then declare it a misunderstanding. The initiative must be taken by command; the Georgian government must remain silent, remain in the shadows [...]” (RTSKHIDNI. F. 558. Op. 2. D. 162. L. 1). The border of Turkey was defined along the northern administrative border of the Ardagan and Kars senjaks. At the same time, a decision was made on further assistance to Turkey with money and weapons, provided that it respects Soviet interests in Georgia. Knowing well the price of political promises, on March 19, 1921, Stalin telegraphed Ordzhonikidze: “According to the agreement with the Turks, already signed, Batum withdraws from Georgia [...] Try to expel the Turks from Batum with a strong blow, and then declare it a misunderstanding. The initiative must be taken by command; the Georgian government must remain silent, remain in the shadows [...]” (RTSKHIDNI. F. 558. Op. 2. D. 162. L. 1). The border of Turkey was defined along the northern administrative border of the Ardagan and Kars senjaks. At the same time, a decision was made on further assistance to Turkey with money and weapons, provided that it respects Soviet interests in Georgia. Knowing well the price of political promises, on March 19, 1921, Stalin telegraphed Ordzhonikidze: “According to the agreement with the Turks, already signed, Batum withdraws from Georgia [...] Try to expel the Turks from Batum with a strong blow, and then declare it a misunderstanding. The initiative must be taken by command; the Georgian government must remain silent, remain in the shadows [...]” (RTSKHIDNI. F. 558. Op. 2. D. 162. L. 1).