Mikoyan & Co’s Telegram to Chicherin

Below is the text of the telegram from the chairman of the Azerbaijani Revolutionary Committee N. Narimanov, member of the Caucasian Regional Executive Committee Mdivani, member of the Central Committee of the Azerbaijani Communist Party A. Mikoyan, and member of the Armenian Communist Party’s Committee P. Nurijanyan to the People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the RSFSR Chicherin with misleading information to justify the policies of Stalin and Ordzhonikidze.

It turns out that Mikoyan, the monument to whom the mayor’s office of Yerevan – namely, the office of former mayor Taron Margaryan – wanted to erect, was no more than a member of the Central Committee of the Azerbaijan Communist Party. In fact, he is one of the clear organizers of the attack on Armenia by the trio of Turks, Russians, and Azerbaijanis.

The telegram June 19, 1920

“The Dashnak government continues its offensive against Azerbaijan in the direction of Kazakh, Kalabek, and with the immediate goal of endangering the railway.

Armenian comrades, retreating to Azerbaijan together with Muslims, are fighting against the Dashnaks. Armenian regular units headed by General Dro left Karabakh due to the advancement of our units.

Nuri Pasha retreated to the borders of Persia and is located in Jabrail. The Armenian population of Karabakh and Zangezur after the withdrawal of Dro declared the Soviet rule under the leadership of Commander Hambartsumian, who had already contacted our emergency commissars in Karabakh, Buniyat-Zade and Karaizov.

In Armenia, there are thousands of arrested and hundreds of executed Communists. Dozens of rebel Armenian villages were arrested by the Dashnaks. Mass killings occurred in the villages of the Muslims. Armenian refugees – over two thousand of them – took refuge in Azerbaijan, others hid in the mountains.

Armenia is actually in a state of war with Azerbaijan. As for the allegedly controversial Zangezur and Karabakh, already part of Soviet Azerbaijan, we categorically declare that these places are indisputable and should continue to remain within Azerbaijan.

The Julfa and Nakhichevan districts are completely populated by Muslims who have been isolated for more than a year, defending themselves together with the local forces against the Dashnak government. For military purposes and for the purpose of direct communication with Turkey, they should be occupied by our troops and annexed to Azerbaijan.

For our part, we are considering all negotiations with the Dashnak government and the issue of Turkish Armenia, which you are proposing in an untimely manner. When deciding these questions, we request you to be guided by information coming exclusively from local organizations and responsible partners.”

Chairman of Azrevkom N. Narimanov, member of the Caucasian Oblast Executive Committee Mdivani, member of the Central Committee of Azerbaijan Mikoyan, member of the committee of the Armenian Communist Party Nurijanyan. RGASPI, f.17, op. 84, d. 72, l. 8.

Source: “Nagorno-Karabakh in International Law and World Politics” by Yu. Barsegov