to Stalin from Ordzhonisky

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

Stalin Correspondences

Telegram to G. K. Ordzhonikidze V. I. Lenin, G. V. Chicherin, I. V. Stalin

July 16, 1920

Through the political controller on a direct wire, delivery time to inform.

Moscow Kremlin.

Lenin, Chicherin, Stalin.

Baku 16/VII-20

I consider it absolutely necessary to wait [with] peace [with] Armenia until the arrival of the representative of Azerbaijan, who is traveling according to the invitation of Comrade Chicherin 1 .

Peace with Armenia without the participation of Azerbaijan greatly unnerves the local comrades.

Massacres between Armenians and Tatars are inevitable in the Nakhichevan region. This can only be avoided by our advancement and occupation of the Nakhichevan region. We tried to carry out at least reconnaissance in this direction, but the statement of the RVSR about the insufficiency of our forces in this area *.

The political situation demands that a massacre be prevented in the Nakhichevan region, which is inevitable without our intervention. I think that we can continue to move for the purpose of reconnaissance. I'll get in touch with Chicherin today, and if he doesn't agree, we'll get our intelligence back. I repeat, reconnaissance is necessary 2 .

3. Oprodkomarm Comrade Eristov cannot get along with the Revolutionary Military Council. To the demand of the Revolutionary Military Council to form a divisional apparatus, he replies that he has the rights of an army commander and prescribes and proposes ... 3

RTSKHIDNI. F. 85. Op. 14. D. 5. L. 3-6. Autograph.

Notes:

oneWe are talking about the negotiations between the RSFSR and Armenia on the settlement of the situation on the borders of Azerbaijan and Armenia. Disputable border issues were resolved for a long time without the participation of representatives of Azerbaijan, who hoped, together with representatives of the Caucasian Bureau of the RCP (b), to resolve them by force in their favor, and also use them as a pretext for further sovietization of the region. On July 8, 1920, Stalin telegraphed Ordzhonikidze: “[...] My opinion is that it is impossible to maneuver endlessly between the parties; it is necessary to support one of the parties definitely, in this case, of course, Azerbaijan and Turkey. I spoke with Lenin, he does not object [...]” (RTSKHIDNI. F. 85. Op. 3/S. D. 2. L. 11). As early as July 9, 1920 the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia informed his representative in Georgia about the occupation of Zangezur by the Bolsheviks and demanded that this issue be raised before the Soviet plenipotentiary representative in Georgia, Kirov, and also to inform the head of the Armenian delegation in the RSFSR about what had happened (the Great October Socialist Revolution and the victory of Soviet power in Armenia. P. 372 ). This fact, combined with the invasion of the Soviet-Azerbaijani troops in Nakhichevan, served as a pretext for a new aggravation of the conflict. On July 22, 1920, Ordzhonikidze left for Moscow to resolve these and other issues of Eastern policy (RTSKHIDNI. F. 85. Op. 5 / S. D. 1. L. 1-3). This fact, combined with the invasion of the Soviet-Azerbaijani troops in Nakhichevan, served as a pretext for a new aggravation of the conflict. On July 22, 1920, Ordzhonikidze left for Moscow to resolve these and other issues of Eastern policy (RTSKHIDNI. F. 85. Op. 5 / S. D. 1. L. 1-3). This fact, combined with the invasion of the Soviet-Azerbaijani troops in Nakhichevan, served as a pretext for a new aggravation of the conflict. On July 22, 1920, Ordzhonikidze left for Moscow to resolve these and other issues of Eastern policy (RTSKHIDNI. F. 85. Op. 5 / S. D. 1. L. 1-3).

On July 19, 1920, Chicherin sent a telegram to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, in which, in particular, he stated: “[...] All the actions of Soviet Russia in the Caucasus are aimed at rendering friendly action to the further peaceful development of the Armenian people other neighboring peoples [...] The occupation by Russian parts of those areas that, in the process of struggle between neighboring peoples, became disputed between Armenia and Azerbaijan is aimed at preventing bloody conflicts that could have disastrous results for all participants and is calculated also on the creation of conditions that make possible a calm and impartial discussion of disputed territorial issues [...]” (The Great October Socialist Revolution and the Victory of Soviet Power in Armenia, p. 373).

3 The end of the document is missing.