REPORT OF THE GOVERNMENT COMMISSIONER OF ZANGEZUR-KARABAKH

History

REPORT OF THE GOVERNMENT COMMISSIONER OF ZANGEZUR-KARABAKH TO THE PRIME MINISTER OF THE GOVERNMENT OF ARMENIA ON THE CRITICAL SITUATION IN KARABAKH AND THE URGENT NEED FOR AMMUNITION AND ARTILLERY SUPPORT No. 1346 — Gerusy, August 17, 1919

I have repeatedly emphasized that, by force of circumstance and geographic position, Zangezur must become the strategic base for Karabakh, Gokhtan, and Nakhichevan. Accordingly, I have persistently requested the dispatch of at least a minimal quantity of ammunition and artillery so that we may be able to assist the aforementioned neighboring regions and avoid falling into a dire situation ourselves.

All my appeals and demands have gone unanswered. Aside from empty promises, I have received nothing to date.

Now, in light of the events in Nakhichevan and Sharur, the strategic importance of Zangezur has grown even further—along with the burden it bears. Occupying a central position, Zangezur is naturally expected to assist neighboring regions: Nors, Gokhtan, Karabakh, and more recently, Daralagiaz.

The Nors detachment has been formed almost entirely at Zangezur’s expense—198 soldiers from Sisian are currently stationed there, and 30,000 rounds of ammunition have been sent. Gokhtan is now experiencing critical days. The villages of Paraga, Paradast, and Shurut have evacuated to Bist and Nasirvaz, which are under siege. The village of Danagirt has been destroyed. Aghulis is besieged and pleading for assistance, including financial aid.

I have ordered Kapan and Meghri to provide urgent support to Gokhtan, and 400–500 fighters from these districts are already en route. An additional 28,000 rounds of ammunition and funds have been dispatched.

Karabakh’s situation is grave. The Seventh Congress is set to convene there in the coming days. There is reason to believe that, due to a lack of ammunition and a severe financial crisis, Karabakh may be forced to recognize the temporary authority of Azerbaijan. Requests for ammunition and financial aid continue to pour in. While some funds have been sent (far from sufficient), I am unable to send ammunition.

On August 11, a large-scale attack was carried out by Tatars on the village of Kushchi-Bilyak. I dispatched 70 cavalrymen from Sisian to assist. Although the attack was repelled with significant losses for the Tatars, further and potentially successful assaults cannot be ruled out. Should Kushchi-Bilyak fall, Zangezur would face a critical situation due to tactical encirclement.

I am unable to secure Kushchi-Bilyak—the only route connecting Zangezur to Daralagiaz (Armenia)—with our own forces. All that is possible is being done, but Daralagiaz must take measures to secure this vital road. Through the village of Jul (a Tatar settlement), the Tatars of Nakhichevan and Sharur maintain extensive connections with Azerbaijan.

[…]

With the fall of Nakhichevan and the withdrawal of our forces from Sharur, Zangezur’s situation has become, as previously stated, extremely precarious. Zangezur is now threatened from two directions: the southeast (Azerbaijan) and the southwest (Nakhichevan and Sharur). It is not difficult to discern the operational plan of the Tatars (Azerbaijan): to clear and seize Gokhtan, occupy Kushchi-Bilyak, and sever our connection to Daralagiaz. In such a scenario, Zangezur—squeezed from both sides and left to fend for itself without external support—will be plunged into crisis.

If Karabakh is forced to recognize Azerbaijan, one must expect imminent offensive operations from Azerbaijan and Sharur-Nakhichevan.

I draw your attention to this situation and report that Zangezur’s defensive resources are critically insufficient. My entire stock of three-line rifle cartridges amounts to 40,000 rounds; Lebel cartridges total 200,000 (which are of little use, as the population possesses very few Lebel rifles). I have a platoon of piston artillery pieces, which, due to the mountainous terrain and lack of wheeled roads, cannot be relied upon.

Throughout August, Tatar activity has markedly intensified. Aside from countless skirmishes and attacks on border villages, I note the most significant incidents: the August 6 attack on the village of Mukhurturyan; attacks on August 7 and 13 in the Ishikhlu mountain area; and the August 15 assault on the village of Khanadzar.

These engagements consume large quantities of ammunition, and I will soon be left without any. I have funds remaining for only 20 days, while requests for financial assistance continue to grow.

On July 10, I dispatched Sako Ambartsumyan (Yapon) to Erivan with a report to the head of the Erivan group, Mr. Dro, in which I categorically demanded the dispatch of 500,000 three-line cartridges and 4–6 mountain artillery pieces. I stated that failure to receive these supplies would prevent us from establishing a stable defense in Zangezur. To date, no response has been received, and the requested ammunition and artillery have not arrived.

Once again, I urge your attention to the fact that Zangezur must—and cannot but—come to the aid of Nors, Gokhtan, Karabakh, and Daralagiaz. Reliable intelligence indicates that the Tatars are preparing to attack the villages of Nors and Gyumur. For the reasons stated above, I am no longer in a position to assist them if needed.

In about ten days, Zangezur will complete its fieldwork and gather its harvest. In terms of provisions, it will be fully supplied. Manpower is abundant. Whereas previously it was difficult to divert the population from agricultural labor, this obstacle will soon be removed. And yet, the lack of ammunition alone prevents Zangezur from providing the real assistance to its neighboring districts (Karabakh, Gokhtan, Sharur, and Daralagiaz) that it can and must provide.

I urgently request the immediate dispatch of 500,000 three-line cartridges, 4–6 mountain artillery pieces, funds, uniforms, and medical supplies (an epidemic of typhus has already broken out). The rest, though necessary, are minor in the face of the looming threat.

If my request is not fulfilled immediately, the Government of Armenia must reconcile itself to the loss of Zangezur.

A. Shahmazyan Resolution: To the Minister of the Interior and the Minister of War. Please issue all necessary orders. A. Khatisyan

Central State Historical Archive of Armenia, f. 199, op. 1, d. 76, pp. 239–240. Original. Typescript. Published in: Nagorno-Karabakh in 1918–1923, Yerevan, 1992, doc. no. 211.

APPEAL OF THE ARMENIAN NATIONAL COUNCIL OF KARABAKH TO THE UNITED STATES HIGH COMMISSIONER IN ARMENIA, COLONEL HASKELL REQUESTING THE REMOVAL OF AZERBAIJANI TROOPS AND AUTHORITIES FROM KARABAKH, WHO ORGANIZED MASSACRES OF ARMENIANS, AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ALLIED ADMINISTRATION Tiflis, August 18, 1919

During the World War and the Turkish invasions and pogroms in Transcaucasia in 1918, following the fall of Baku in September, only two Armenian regions survived—Mountainous Armenian Karabakh and Zangezur—thanks to the steadfast and desperate resistance of their populations under the leadership of General Andranik.

Armenian Karabakh and Zangezur, adjoining the northeastern frontier of Armenia, encompass the mountainous zones of the Elizavetpol, Jevanshir, Shushi, Karagin, and Zangezur districts of the Elizavetpol Governorate. These regions are home to over 300,000 Armenians, comprising 75–90% of the total population.

Had it not been for the Allied victories on the fields of Flanders, this final bastion of our freedom and honor would have eventually been swept away by Turkish forces and irregular Turkic-Azerbaijani bands. Upon the arrival of British forces in Transcaucasia, the Turks and their local Azerbaijani allies were compelled to evacuate the positions they had occupied in Mountainous Karabakh, including the city of Shushi and the partially ruined border fortress of Askeran. The Armenian population breathed a sigh of relief, believing the hour of liberation had come.

Trusting that the presence of British authorities and troops in Transcaucasia would guarantee personal safety and the inviolability of their homes and property, the Armenians of Karabakh and Zangezur complied unconditionally with all directives of the British command. General Andranik withdrew his detachment from Karabakh and Zangezur, and local forces returned to their original bases and were demobilized.

However, the just and lawful hopes of the Armenians of Karabakh were not fulfilled. The British command demanded the subordination of Armenian Karabakh to Azerbaijan and its appointee, the notorious Turkish agent and Armenophobe Dr. Khosrov-bek Sultanov, citing the need to open communication routes and ensure adequate food supply for the population.

All appeals from the authoritative bodies of Mountainous Armenian Karabakh—the National Council, the congresses of Karabakh and Zangezur compatriots, and representatives of central cultural and educational institutions—were in vain. Numerous memoranda, reports, petitions, and proposals were submitted to the British command, warning against the imposition of Turkic-Azerbaijani rule and urging the establishment of temporary Allied administration until the matter could be resolved at the Paris Peace Conference.

Regrettably, the British command, unfamiliar with the true situation in Karabakh and the interethnic dynamics of Transcaucasia, and misinformed by Azerbaijani authorities, made a fatal error. Ignoring all aforementioned appeals, it permitted the Azerbaijani government to concentrate significant military forces in Askeran, Khankendi, Shushi, and Zabugh. The Azerbaijani government, acting as an agent of Turkish imperial policy in Transcaucasia, exploited this opportunity to introduce its troops and Turkish emissaries into the region, organizing massacres.

Repeated warnings from Armenian institutions that such actions violated the Allied principle prohibiting the resolution of territorial disputes by force were ignored. These warnings stressed that such policies would not bring peace or order, but rather bloodshed and slaughter.

Indeed, in early June, Governor-General Sultanov, undeterred by the presence of British troops and mission in Shushi, orchestrated an attack on the Armenian quarter of the city and massacres in the surrounding villages of Khaibalikend, Kherkijan, and others, resulting in the deaths of several hundred innocent women, children, and elderly.

The British high command assured the Armenian government and concerned public representatives that decisive measures would be taken to ensure personal and property security and that Dr. Sultanov would be removed. Yet, one month later, British forces unexpectedly withdrew from Karabakh, Dr. Sultanov returned to his post, and on August 10, the British mission was recalled from Shushi. Thus, the defenseless Armenian population of Karabakh has been left entirely at the mercy of the bloodthirsty instincts of Azerbaijani authorities, Turkish emissaries, and troops. We now stand on the brink of a new, even more horrific and inevitable massacre in Karabakh.

Simultaneously, representatives of the American Relief Committee departed the region, depriving the poorest segment of the population of vital aid and condemning them to starvation.

At the moment of the British withdrawal, the Armenians of Karabakh found themselves in a more hopeless situation than at the time of the Allies’ arrival in Transcaucasia.

Therefore, the Karabakh and Zangezur compatriot community appeals to Your Excellency to take decisive measures to remove Azerbaijani troops and authorities from Karabakh, to establish Allied administration in the region, and to ensure the safety, dignity, and property of its inhabitants.

We also respectfully request that you consider the plight of the refugees and restore the American Relief Committee to Shushi to continue its mission of aid to the starving.

Signed: Grant Bagaturov – Chairman of the Armenian National Council of Karabakh Ar. Babakhanyan – Chairman of the Karabakh and Zangezur Compatriot Association L. Gulyan – Representative of the same association Yu. Khununts – Representative of the same association M. Karabekyan – Representative of the same association

Central State Historical Archive of Armenia, f. 200, op. 1, d. 50, pp. 104–107. Copy. Typescript. Translated from English. Published in: Vestnik of the Archives of Armenia, 1989, No. 1, pp. 110–112.

📰 Press Reports on the Circumstances Surrounding the Approval

of the Temporary Agreement by the Seventh Congress of Armenians of Karabakh Shusha, August 22, 1919

The most significant recent event in the life of Karabakh was the Seventh Congress of representatives of Mountainous Armenian Karabakh. The Congress convened on August 12 in Shushikend, a village located in a gorge approximately five versts from the city of Shusha.

Nearly 200 delegates attended the Congress. The first two days were devoted to discussions regarding the conduct of Governor-General Sultanov. Dissatisfied with the criticism, Sultanov sought to suppress it through “persuasive” measures: he ordered cannons to be aimed at Shushikend and the Armenian quarter of Shusha, personally relocated from the Armenian part of the city—where he had previously resided—to the Tatar quarter, closed the Yevlakh–Shusha road, and issued an ultimatum to the Congress demanding acceptance of the agreement drafted in Baku, allowing 48 hours for compliance.

Before the expiration of this ultimatum, a delegation of 20 representatives from the Congress presented Sultanov with a resolution adopted by the assembly. The resolution stated that the Congress accepts and ratifies the agreement reached in Baku.

Source: Newspaper “Slovo,” August 28, 1919. Published in: Nagorno-Karabakh in 1918–1923, Yerevan, 1992, doc. no. 216. Date of correspondence: August 22, 1919

📜 Resolution No. 351

Adopted by the Seventh Congress of Armenians of Karabakh on the Conditions of the Temporary Agreement with the Government of Azerbaijan Regarding Mountainous Karabakh Pending Final Status Determination at the Peace Conference Shusha, August 22, 1919

Recognizing that the fate of Mountainous Karabakh will be determined at the Peace Conference, that any conflict would be disastrous for the nationalities inhabiting Karabakh, and that Armenians and Muslims must coexist under any future resolution, the Seventh Congress of Armenians of Karabakh, at its fourth morning session on August 15, 1919, resolved to adopt the following terms of a temporary agreement with the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan:

Key Provisions:

  • §1: This temporary agreement shall remain in effect until the Peace Conference renders a decision binding on both parties.
  • §2: The mountainous regions of the Shusha, Jevanshir, and Jebrail districts (Dizak, Varanda, Khachen, and Jrabert), populated by Armenians, shall be considered temporarily within the borders of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
  • §3: These districts shall form a distinct administrative unit under the Karabakh Governor-Generalship, with Armenian administration in the mountainous areas and minority rights respected.
  • §4: Administrative officials in the Armenian mountainous areas shall be appointed upon recommendation by the Armenian Council.
  • §5: A council of six members—three Armenians and three Muslims—shall be established under the Governor-Generalship.
  • §6: Armenian council members shall be elected by the Congress of Mountainous Karabakh Armenians, with the right to re-election.
  • §7: No interethnic policy decisions may be enacted without prior discussion in the council.
  • §8: One-third of the council may initiate proposals concerning governance and administration.
  • §9: The council shall oversee and monitor the administration but shall not interfere with its operations.
  • §10: A civilian deputy to the Governor-General shall be appointed, and this post shall be held by an Armenian.
  • §11: The Armenian Congress shall nominate two candidates for this post; one shall be approved by the Azerbaijani government.
  • §12: Armenians of Karabakh shall enjoy the right to cultural self-determination.
  • §13: This right shall be exercised by the Karabakh National Council, elected periodically by Armenian congresses.
  • §14: The Azerbaijani government shall oversee the Council’s activities through designated Armenian representatives.
  • §15: Military units shall be stationed in Khankendi and Shusha in peacetime composition.
  • §16: Movement of troops within the Armenian-populated mountainous districts shall require approval by two-thirds of the council.
  • §17: No one shall be prosecuted for political beliefs, either judicially or administratively.
  • §18: Armenians displaced for political reasons shall have the right to return.
  • §19: Disarmament of Armenian and Muslim populations in Karabakh shall be suspended until the Peace Conference decision.
    • Note: As disarmament has been declared throughout Azerbaijan, this provision refers to suspension.
  • §20: The Azerbaijani government shall provide material and moral support for the restoration of destroyed Armenian and Muslim villages.
  • §21: To improve interethnic relations, the council shall convene regular joint and local Armenian-Muslim congresses.
  • §22: Full freedom of association, speech, and press is guaranteed. Public gatherings, due to wartime conditions, require administrative approval.
  • §23: All offenses by private or official persons shall be prosecuted judicially, except those exempted by the State Defense Committee decree of June 11, 1919.
  • §24: No one shall be prosecuted for participation in prior interethnic clashes.
  • §25: This agreement enters into force upon its adoption by the Seventh Armenian Congress of Karabakh.
  • §26: The agreement remains valid under all conditions, including martial law or wartime.

Signed in Shusha, August 22, 1919 Delegates authorized by the Seventh Congress of Armenians of Karabakh to sign the final temporary agreement with the Azerbaijani government, nominate candidates for Deputy Governor-General, elect council members, and resolve all technical matters related to Karabakh’s administration:

  1. Daniel Arakelyants
  2. Abram Gesibekyants
  3. Simon Pogosov
  4. [Ill]
  5. Sumbat Balayants
  6. Veniamin Babakevkhayants
  7. Israel Gulikyevkhayan
  8. Abram-bek Ishkhanov
  9. Bakhshi Muradov
  10. Hovhannes Abramyan
  11. Stepan Stepanyan
  12. Hakob Balasanyan
  13. Tigran Melik-Kasparyan
  14. Hovhannes Kasparov
  15. Levon Vartapetov
  16. Arsen Ioannesyan

Source: Central State Historical Archive of Armenia, f. 57, op. 5, d. 202, pp. 3–4 verso. Certified copy. Typescript. Published in: “Znamya Truda,” August 26, 1919, and in: Nagorno-Karabakh in 1918–1923, Yerevan, 1992, doc. no. 214. 352

Yuri Barsegov “Nagorno-Karabakh in International Law and Global Politics”

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