[15 August 1919]
Agreement of the representatives of the Seventh Assembly of Karabagh Armenians with Governor-General Sultanov, accepting provisional Azerbaijani rule
Whereas the fate of Mountainous Karabagh shall be determined by the Peace Conference, whereas every hostile encounter is disastrous to the nationalities inhabiting Karabagh, and whereas in whatever way the question of Karabagh may be settled, Armenians and Muslims will continue to live together, the Seventh Assembly of Karabagh Armenians, in its morning session of August 15, 1919, resolved to uphold the following points constituting the temporary agreement with the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan:
- The contracting parties accept this provisional agreement until the Peace Conference renders a decision, which both sides shall accept as equally binding.
- The Armenian-populated mountainous sector of Karabagh (Dizak, Varanda, Khachen, Jraberd), in the counties [uezds] of Shushi, Jevanshir, Jebrail, regards itself to be provisionally within the boundaries of the Azerbaijani republic.
- The counties of Shushi, Jevanshir, and Jebrail remain as a distinct administrative unit within the governor-generalship of Karabagh, and the internal structure of that unit shall be such that the administration of the mountainous Armenian sector is composed of Armenians, with the rights of minorities guaranteed.
- In the mountainous portion of Karabagh (Dizak, Khachen, Varanda, and Jraberd), administrative officials shall be named on the recommendation of the Armenian members of the council (see point 5).
- A six-member council of three Armenians and three Muslims shall be created in the governor-generalship of Karabagh.
- The council’s Armenian members are to be chosen by the assembly of the Armenian population of Mountainous Karabagh. The Assembly has the right to reelection.
- All fundamental questions of an interracial nature cannot be acted upon until they have first been considered by the council.
- The council has the right of initiative in matters relating to the arrangements and the administration of the governor-generalship.
- The council has the right to oversee and counterbalance the administration of the governor-generalship but without the right to interfere in the operations of the administration.
- The post of governor-general’s assistant in civil affairs shall be established, and an Armenian must be appointed to that post.
- The Armenian assembly shall present to the government of Azerbaijan two candidates for the position of assistant in civil affairs, one of whom will be confirmed.
- The Armenians of Karabagh shall enjoy the right of cultural autonomy.
- The right of cultural autonomy is to be vested in the National Council of Karabagh Armenians, which will be elected by the periodically convened assemblies of Karabagh Armenians. The assembly is summoned by the National Council.
- The government of the Azerbaijani republic shall regulate the activities of the Armenian National Council through Armenian intermediaries.
- The [Azerbaijani] garrisons shall be stationed at Khankend and Shushi in peacetime strength.
- Any and all movements of armed forces in the mountainous Armenian-inhabited sectors of the counties of Shushi, Jevanshir, and Jebrail shall require the consent of two-thirds of the council.
- No person may be subjected persecution, either by judicial or executive procedures, for his political convictions.
- All Armenians who have been constrained to leave for political reasons shall have the right to return to their homes.
- The disarming of the Armenian and Muslim population shall be suspended in Karabagh until the question of Karabagh is resolved by the [Paris] peace Conference.
- The government of the Azerbaijani republic is to give material and moral assistance to the population of Karabagh for the rapid restoration of the devastated Muslim and Armenian villages.
- For the purpose of improving interracial relations, the council shall periodically sponsor general and local Armenian-Muslim congresses.
- There will be absolute freedom of assembly, speech, and press. But because a state of martial law exists throughout Azerbaijan, meetings shall be authorized by the administration.
- All crimes of private and official persons shall be prosecuted according to judicial procedure, except for the felonies and criminal acts excluded from the normal judicial order by the binding decision of June 11, 1919 of the Committe for State Defense of the Azerbaijani republic.
- No one shall be persecuted for having taken part in interracial clashes up to the present time.
- This agreement comes into effect from the moment of its acceptance by the Seventh Assembly of Karabagh Armenians.
- This agreement shall remain in effect in all circumstances, including siege, warfare, and so forth.
The delegates appointed by the Seventh Assembly of Karabagh are authorized to conclude with the Azerbaijani government the final provisional agreement, which has been approved by all members of the Assembly, to select the two candidates for the post of civil assistant to the provisional governor-general and the three members of the council formed alongside the governor-general, and to settle all technical questions relating to the administration of Karabagh on the basis of the provisional agreement that has been accepted.
[Republic of Armenia Archives, File 9 and 66a]
The Karabagh File, Documents and Facts, 1918-1988, First Edition, Cambridge Toronto 1988, by the ZORYAN INSTITUTE, edited by: Gerard J. LIBARIDIAN, pp. 21-24.
