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Selected Secret Documents from Soviet Foreign Policy Documents Archives - 1919 to 1941Concentrated on 1st and 2nd WW Correspondence and Meetings related to Turkey, Balkans and Iran, with some additions from Afghanistan and India.
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Note from the plenipotentiary representative of the RSFSR in Turkey to the commissioner for foreign affairs of the government of the grand national assembly of Turkey, Yusuf Kemal.
August 20, 1921 no. 863‐a
Lord commissioner,
I have the honor to inform you that my government has instructed me to inform you that it readily accepts the invitation contained in your note to take part in a conference for the conclusion of treaties between the government of the grand national assembly of Turkey and the governments of the three Soviet republics of the Caucasus, which conference should complement an agreement concluded in Moscow between Soviet Russia and Turkey.
My government, however, rejects angora as a place to convene the conference because of the difficulty of telegraph communication with this city and the martial law, and expresses the wish that the conference be held in Kars, the city you yourself proposed earlier.
Please accept, Mr. Commissioner, the assurance of my highest consideration.
Natsarenus
The following reply was received to this note from Yusuf Kemal on 28 august 1921:
“Mr. Plenipotentiary representative,
In response to your letter of the 20th of this month, I have the honor to inform you that my government agrees to Kars as the venue for a conference to be held between Turkey and the Transcaucasian Soviet republics with the participation of delegates from the RSFSR. The Turkish delegation will be chaired by divisional general Kazim Karabekir pasha, the commander of the eastern army of the government of the grand national assembly of Turkey and a deputy from Adrianople in the same national assembly, with the participation of Veli bey, a deputy from Burdur, Memduh Shevket bey, the plenipotentiary of Turkey in Baku , and mukhtar‐bey, chief engineer for the construction of railways in eastern Anatolia, a former deputy and secretary of state in the commissariat of public works.
I believe that in view of the range of distance to be covered for different delegations, it would be desirable to set the last week of September as the opening date for the conference.
I would be grateful to you, Mr. Plenipotentiary representative, if, while handing over to your government the content of this, you also convey our firm confidence regarding the most favorable results to be achieved during negotiations based on the excellent relations existing between Turkey, on the one hand, and the Russian Soviet and Transcaucasian Soviet republics on the other.
I would be happy to know as soon as possible whether the appointed date is convenient for the Moscow government, as well as the names of the Russian delegates to the Kars conference.
Please accept, Mr. Plenipotentiary representative, the assurances of my highest consideration. ʺ
Note from the plenipotentiary representative of the RSFSR in Turkey to the commissioner for foreign affairs of the government of the grand national assembly of Turkey, Yusuf Kemal.
August 20, 1921 no. 863‐b
Mr. Commissioner,
The government of the socialist republic of Ukraine, an ally of Soviet Russia, wishing to conclude an agreement with the government of the Turkish grand national assembly, appointed Cde. Frunze, commander of the Ukrainian forces, to conduct preliminary negotiations in angora. The said government hopes that the government of the Turkish grand national assembly will do everything necessary to make it as easy as possible for it to fulfill the mission entrusted to it. Comrade Kotsyubinsky, representative of Ukraine in Moscow, informed Mr. Ali Fuad pasha, your representative in Moscow * about the above.
I am happy to have been instructed to make this message, which once again proves the solidarity between Russia and Turkey and the sincere desire of my government, which has undertaken mediation between the governments of Turkey and Ukraine, to further strengthen the bonds of friendship between our two peoples.
Having no representative in angora, the government of Ukraine instructs me to send you this message and convey your answer to him.
Natsarenus
Print. By architect.
* see doc. No. 187
The following reply was received to this note from Yusuf Kemal on 23 august 1921:
“Mr. Plenipotentiary representative,
In response to your letter of august 20, 1921, no. 863‐b, I am happy to inform you that my government will be very pleased to receive Mr. Frunze, commander‐in‐chief of the Ukrainian troops, as a delegate of the Ukrainian Soviet republic.
I hasten to add that Mr. Frunze will receive the friendliest welcome here, as well as the sincerest desire to conclude an agreement that is equally beneficial to both parties.
I will be grateful to you if you do not refuse to inform the government of Soviet Ukraine of the above and to inform us as soon as possible about the time of Mr. Frunzeʹs arrival, and also which route he wishes to follow.
Thank you for your kind mediation and I ask you, Mr. Plenipotentiary representative, to accept the assurance of my highest consideration. ʺ
Note from the peopleʹs commissar for foreign affairs of the Armenian SSR to the commissar for foreign affairs of the government of the grand national assembly of Turkey Yusuf Kemal.
Transmitted by telegraph on august 24, 1921 no. 6781
The government of the socialist Soviet republic of Armenia considers the final settlement of relations between Soviet Armenia and Turkey on a firm treaty basis timely. Due to the close political and economic ties between the Transcaucasian Soviet republics, we consider it expedient that the treaty between Soviet Armenia and Turkey be developed at a conference convened [in] the near future between Turkey and the rest of the Transcaucasian republics with the participation of representatives of the RSFSR. The finding of power in the hands, on the one hand, of the workers ʹand peasantsʹ Soviet government, and on the other hand, of the revolutionary government of the Turkish grand national assembly, is a simple guarantee that these governments, free from the stupid chauvinism and blind mutual hatred of their predecessors, will be able to find a fair solution to all the issues that seemed insoluble for wise European diplomacy, and thus smooth over the traces of that struggle and mutual hatred of the two neighboring peoples, skillfully and maliciously fueled by imperialist diplomacy. The most pressing issues of both sides imperiously dictate to us peaceful cohabitation and complete mutual trust.
The government of Soviet Armenia cherishes the hope that the government of the grand national assembly of Turkey also shares our point of view and will not refuse to inform us about its consent.
Please accept the assurance of perfect respect for you.
Peopleʹs commissar for foreign affairs
Mravyan
To this note the following reply was received from Yusuf Kemal on august 30, 1921:
“I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your telegram of august 24, no. 6781, and at the same time to inform you of the assumptions and details regarding the future conference in Kars.
In order to reflect in the treaties to be concluded with the Transcaucasian Soviet republics the provisions set forth in the Moscow treaty concerning these republics, my government was back at the beginning of July this year. G. Invited the governments of the abovementioned republics to the conference, the draft of which was developed in Baku and Tiflis during my stay in these cities in the spring upon my return from Moscow.
Your telegram of august 24 made me understand that the government of Soviet Armenia is completely in agreement with us and also believes that the future conference in Kars represents a convenient opportunity to finally settle relations between Turkey and Soviet Armenia.
It would not be useless to add that I fully share your point of view regarding the need for our two peoples to live in complete harmony in the future and forget all their previous feuds, the seeds of which, as you rightly noted, were sown by the imperialist powers who took advantage of our strife.
The government of Soviet Russia, as you already know, will also send its delegates to Kars in order to fulfill the obligations under the Moscow treaty, and will make the necessary representations for the Transcaucasian republics to conclude treaties with Turkey in accordance with the terms of the Moscow treaty.
The Turkish delegation in Kars will be chaired by Kazim Karabekir pasha, the commander of our eastern army and the deputy from Adrianople in the grand national assembly of Turkey, consisting of: Velibey, the deputy from Burdur, Memduh Shevket‐bey, the plenipotentiary of Turkey in Baku, and mukhtar‐bey, chief engineer for the construction of the Anatolian railways, a former deputy and former secretary of state in the commissariat of public works.
We have proposed the last week of September for the convening of this conference and we would be grateful if you could tell us as soon as possible the composition of the delegation that would represent Soviet Armenia, as well as your agreement on the proposed date,
While waiting for your answer, please accept, Mr. Commissioner, the assurance of my highest consideration. ʺ