The Establishment of The Soviet Regime In Northern Azerbaijan. Resistance Against The Invaders

The Establishment of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO) and Nakhchivan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (ASSR) within the Azerbaijan SSR. For the fair resolution of the issue, in accordance with the historical reality, regarding the identity of the Nakhchivan region, the fraternal Turkey had an invaluable role, in addition to the serious resistance of the region's population. Soviet Russia, forced to take into account the current situation in the region, conducted a survey among the local population, in January of 1921 with the participation of Turkey, Azerbaijan and Armenia. According to the survey 90% of the Nakhchivan population expressed desire to remain a part of Azerbaijan. An important role in the preservation of Nakhchivan within Azerbaijan played the Moscow Treaty, concluded on March 16, 1921 between Turkey and the Soviet Russia, and consists of 16 basic and 3 additional articles. Article 3 and additional Article 1 of the treaty concerned Nakhchivan. Due to treaty, both sides approved organization of autonomy in Nakhchivan within the boundaries, shown in the appendix, under the patronage of Azerbaijan, without concession it to a third country. Mentioned in the treaty, the third country meant Armenia, of course. The fair solution of the Nakhchivan issue at the Moscow Conference was a great victory for Turkish diplomacy, in terms of the interests of Azerbaijan and Turkey's security. After the Moscow treaty, Armenia has not stopped the sabotage against Nakhchivan, to which Soviet Russia turned a blind eye. On October 13, 1921 the Treaty of Kars, consisted of 22 basic and 3 additional articles was signed between Soviet Russia and Turkey, with the participation of the Transcaucasian republics. According to the Article 5 of the treaty, Armenia confirmed the transition of Nakhchivan under the protection of Azerbaijan, and Azerbaijan confirmed the adoption of this patronage. Under pressure from the Soviet Russia, the representatives of Azerbaijan, despite the strong protests of the Turkish delegation, agreed that the article on the impossibility of transfer the patronage over Nakhchivan to any third party, didn’t include to the Kars treaty. The treaty has been clarified the Nakhchivan borders, as an autonomous territory.

After much discussion and wrangling, on February 9, 1924 the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of Azerbaijan signed a decree on the establishment of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (Nakhchivan ASSR).