Marx-Engels | Lenin | Stalin | Home Page
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.
Download PDF
Treaty between Russia and Turkey, article no. 598.
March 16, 1921
The government of the Russian socialist federal republic and the government of the grand national assembly of Turkey, sharing the principles of brotherhood of nations and the right of peoples to selfdetermination, noting the solidarity existing between them in the struggle against imperialism, as well as the fact that any difficulties created for one of the two peoples worsen the situation another, and wholly inspired by the desire to establish between them permanent cordial relations and an indissoluble friendship based on the mutual interests of both parties, decided to conclude an agreement of friendship and brotherhood and appointed for this as their delegates:
The government of the Russian socialist federal Soviet republic: Georgy Vasilyevich Chicherin, peopleʹs commissar for foreign affairs and a member of the all‐Russian central executive committee, and Dzhelal Edin Korkmasov , a member of the all‐Russian central committee, and
Government of the Turkish grand national assembly: Yusuf Kemal‐bey , peopleʹs commissar for national economy of the Turkish grand national assembly, MP Kastamonu in the same assembly.
Dr. Riza Nur bey , peopleʹs commissar for education of the grand national assembly of Turkey, deputy of Sinop in the same assembly and
Ali Faud pasha , ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the Turkish grand national assembly, member from angora in the grand national assembly, who, after exchanging powers found in proper and legal form, have agreed as follows:
Article I.
Each of the contracting parties agrees in principle not to recognize any peace treaties or other international acts, the adoption of which would be compelled by force by the other of the contracting parties. The government of the RSFSR agrees not to recognize any international acts concerning Turkey and not recognized by the national government of
Turkey, now represented by its grand national assembly.
The term Turkey in this treaty means the territories included in the Turkish national assembly of January 28, 1336 (1920), worked out and proclaimed by the ottoman chamber of deputies in Constantinople and reported to the press and all powers.
The northeastern border of Turkey is determined by: the line that, starting from the village of Sarpi, located on the black sea, passes through the Khedis‐mta mountain, the watershed line of the Shavshet mountain‐Kanni Dag, it then follows the northern administrative border of the Arden and Kars Sandjak ‐ along thalweg of the Arpa‐chay and Araks rivers to the mouth of the lower Karasu (detailed description of the border and issues related to it are defined in appendix I (a) and (b) and on the attached map signed by both contracting parties).
Article ii.
Turkey agrees to cede suzerainty to Georgia over the port and city of Batumi and the territory lying to the north of the border specified in art. I‐sth of the current treaty and constituting a part of the Batumi district, provided that:
1) the population of the localities specified in this article of the treaty will enjoy broad local autonomy in administrative terms, ensuring each community its cultural and religious rights, and that the population will be given the opportunity to establish a land law in accordance with its wishes.
2) Turkey will be provided with free transit of any goods sent to or from Turkey through the Batumi port, duty‐free, without causing any delays and without imposing any fees on them, with the granting of Turkey the right to use the Batumi port without being charged for that special fees.
Article iii.
Both contracting parties agree that the Nakhichevan region, within the boundaries specified in appendix (b) of this agreement, forms an autonomous territory under the auspices of Azerbaijan, provided that
Azerbaijan does not cede this protectorate to any third state.
In the triangle‐forming zone of the Nakhichevan territory included between the thalweg of Araks, and in the west by the line passing through the Dagna mountains (3829) ‐ Veli‐dag (4121) ‐ Bagarzik (6587) ‐ Kemurlu‐dag (6930), the border line of the indicated territory, starting from mount Kemurlu‐dag (6930), passing over mount Serai‐bulak (8071) ‐ Ararat station and ending at the crossing of Kara‐su with Araks, will be corrected by a commission consisting of delegates from Turkey, Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Article iv .
Both contracting parties, noting the contact between the national liberation movement of the peoples of the east and the struggle of the working people of Russia for a new social system, solemnly recognize for these peoples the right to freedom and independence, and equally their right to choose a form of government in accordance with their wishes.
Article the v .
In order to ensure the opening of the straits and the freedom of passage of merchant ships for all peoples, both contracting parties agree to transfer the final elaboration of the international status of the black sea and the straits to a special conference of the delegates of the littoral countries, provided that its decisions do not prejudice the full sovereignty of Turkey, as well as security of Turkey and its capital Constantinople.
Article vi.
Both contracting parties acknowledge that all contracts concluded so far between both parties correspond to mutual interests. They therefore agree to declare these treaties canceled and null and void.
The government of the Russian socialist federative Soviet republic declares in particular that it considers Turkey free from any monetary or other obligations to it based on international acts previously concluded between Turkey and the tsarist government.
Article vii.
The government of the Russian socialist federative Soviet republic, considering the regime of surrender to be incompatible with the free national development of any country, as well as with the full exercise of its sovereign rights, considers all actions and rights that have anything to do with this regime invalid and canceled.
Article viii.
Both contracting parties undertake to prevent the formation or presence on their territory of organizations or groups claiming the role of the government of the other party or part of its territory, as well as the presence of groups with the aim of fighting another state. Russia and Turkey assume the same obligation with respect to the Soviet republics of the Caucasus, subject to reciprocity.
It shall be considered established that the Turkish territory referred to in this article means the territory under the direct military and civil administration of the government of the Turkish grand national assembly.
Article ix.
In order to ensure the continuity of relations between both countries, the contracting parties undertake to take, by joint agreement, all the necessary measures in order to maintain and develop at the possible speed of railway, telegraph and other means of communication, as well as ensuring the free movement of people and goods between both parties, without any delays.
However, it is recognized that the rules established in each country will fully apply to the movement, entry and exit of both travelers and goods. Article x.
Citizens of both contracting parties residing in the territory of the other side will be subject to all rules and obligations arising from the laws of the country in which they are located, with the exception of national defense obligations from which they will be exempted.
Matters concerning family law, inheritance law and legal capacity of citizens of both parties also constitute an exception to the provisions of this article. They will be allowed by special agreement.
Article xi.
Both contracting parties agree to apply the most‐favored‐nation principle to citizens of each contracting party residing in the territory of the other party.
This article does not apply to the rights of citizens of the Soviet Union of Russia, as well as to the rights of citizens of Muslim countries, union of Turkey.
Article xii.
Any resident of the territories that constituted part of Russia before 1918, which the government of the Russian socialist federative Soviet republic recognizes as currently under the sovereignty of Turkey on the basis of this treaty, has the right to freely leave Turkey and take with him his things and his property, or their value. A similar right extends to the inhabitants of the territory of Batumi, whose sovereignty is ceded to Georgia by this treaty.
Article xiii.
Russia undertakes to return to Turkey at its own expense to the northeastern border of Turkey, extending the 3‐month period for European Russia and the Caucasus and 6‐month period for Asian Russia, counting from the date of signing this treaty, all prisoners of war and civilian prisoners of war of the Turks, located in Russia.
The details of this repatriation will be established by a special convention, which will be developed immediately upon the signing of this agreement.
Article xiv.
Both contracting parties agree in the near future to conclude a consular convention, as well as agreements governing all economic, financial and other issues necessary for the establishment of friendly relations between both countries specified in the introduction to this agreement.
Article xv.
Russia undertakes to take in relation to the Transcaucasian republics the steps necessary for the obligatory recognition by these republics in the treaties that they will conclude with Turkey of the articles of this treaty that directly concern them.
Article xvi.
This treaty is subject to ratification, the exchange of instruments of ratification will take place in Kars as soon as possible.
This treaty will enter into force on the date of the exchange of the instruments of ratification, with the exception of article xiii.
In witness to the foregoing, the aforementioned plenipotentiaries have signed this treaty and affixed their seals to it.
Done in duplicate in Moscow on March 16, 1921 (one thousand three hundred thirty‐seventh).
Yusuf Kemal.
Georgy Chicherin.
Dr. Riza Noor.
Jalal Korkmasov.
Ali Fuad.
Appendix I (a).
The northeastern border of Turkey is established as follows (according to the map of the Russian general staff of scales 1 / 210.000 ‐ 5 versts in inch):
There he leaves this river and, walking along the watershed, goes to mount Ayrilyan‐bashi (8512), passes through the Kelle‐tapa mountains (9709), reaches mount Kasris‐seri (9681) and follows the Karzamet‐chai river to the Kura river, from there it goes along thalweg of the kura river to the point that to the east of the village of Kartanakev, where it departs from the Kura, passing along the watershed line of mount Kara‐ogly (7259) ‐ from there, dividing lake Khazanin into two parts, it goes to an altitude of 7580, and from there to mount Geg‐ dag (9152) ‐ walks along the mountains Uch‐tanalyar (9783), Tayla‐kala (9716) ‐ peak 9065, where it leaves the former border of the ardagan district and passes through the mountains of b. Akhbaba (9063) ‐ 8828 (8827) ‐ 7602 ‐ passing to the east from the village of Ibish, it reaches a height of 7518 and then to the Kizil‐dash mountain (7439) (7440) ‐ the village of Nov. Kizil‐dash (kizil‐dash) ‐ passing to the west of Karamemed, goes to the Dzhambushu‐chai river,
(n. V. Of course, the border follows the watershed lines of the above heights).
Yusuf Kemal.
Georgy Chicherin.
Dr. Riza Noor.
Jelal korkmasov.
Ali Fuad.
Document note:
¹ the name jambushu‐chai is not indicated on the map of the 1899 edition.
Appendix I (b).
Taking into account that the border line, as indicated in appendix I (a), are the thalwegs of the Arpa‐chay and Araks rivers, the government of the grand national assembly undertakes to move the blockhouse line at a distance of 8 versts from the Alexandropol‐Erivan railway in its present tracing in the area of the railway in the Araks region. The lines bordering the above‐mentioned areas are indicated below for the Arpachay zones in points a and b of paragraph 1 and for the Araks zone in paragraph 2.
I. Zone Arpa‐chai
A) southeast of Varganli, east of Uzun‐kilis through mount Bozyar (5096), 5082 ‐ 5047 ‐ east of Karmir‐vaik ‐ Uch‐tapa (5578), east of Arazoglu, east of ani, reaches Arpa‐chai west of Yeni‐koy.
B) it departs from Arpa‐chay to the east of the height of 5019 ‐ goes straight to the height of 5481 ‐ 4½ versts east of Kyzyl‐Kum ‐ two versts east of Bojaly ‐ then the Digor‐chai river ‐ follows this river to the village of Duz ‐kechut and goes directly north of the ruins of Karabat and goes to Arpa‐chai.
Ii. Zone of Araks
Direct line between Kharaba Alijan and the village of Suleiman (diza). In areas bounded on one side by the Alexandropol‐erivan railway line and on the other by lines located at a distance of 8 and 4 versts from the above‐mentioned railway line. The government of the grand national assembly undertakes not to build any fortifications (these lines of distance are outside the above zones) and does not contain regular troops in them, however, it retains the right to have troops in the above zones necessary to maintain order, security and for administrative needs.
Yusuf Kemal.
Georgy Chicherin.
Dr. Riza Noor.
Jalal Korkmasov.
Ali Fuad.
appendix I (b).
Territory of Nakhichevan.
Station Ararat‐mountain saray bulak (8071) ‐ Kemurlu‐dag (6839), (6930) ‐ 3080 ‐ sayat‐dag (7868) ‐ the village of Kurt‐kulag (kurt‐kulak) ‐ Gamessur‐dag (8160) ‐ height 8022 ‐ Kuri‐dag (10282) and the eastern administrative border of the former Nakhichevan district.
Yusuf Kemal.
Georgy Chicherin.
Dr. Riza Noor .Ali Fuad.
Jalal Korkmasov.