Change in Soviet policy regarding the status of Karabagh
[3 July 1921] The plenary session of the Caucasian Bureau of Soviet Russia’s Communist Party Central Committee composed of Kirov, Makharsatian, Nasikian, Nazaretian, Narimanov, Stalin, Orakhelashvili, Ordzhonokidze, and others, examined the issue of Mountainous Karabagh and decided to attach Mountainous Karabagh to Soviet Armenia.
[5 July 1921] The same plenary session met, reviewed the issue again, and decided “that considering the necessity of national harmony between Muslims and Armenians, the economic linkage between upper and lower Karabagh, and its permanent ties to Azerbaijan”, Mountainous Karabagh should be left within the boundaries of the Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic, while declaring it an autonomous region with Shushi as its administrative center.
[Hrand Avetisian, The Communist Youth League of Transcaucasia under the Flag of Proletarian Internationalism]
The Karabagh File, Documents and Facts, 1918-1988, First Edition, Cambridge Toronto 1988, by the ZORYAN INSTITUTE, edited by: Gerard J. LIBARIDIAN, p. 36.
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Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan finalizing the incorporation of Karabagh into Azerbaijan
[July 1923]
- To form, as part of the Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic, an autonomous Armenian region in Karabagh with Khankend as its center.
- The administrative organs of the autonomous region are the regional executive and the local soviets.
- Until such time when a regional executive committee can be organized, to create a provisional revolutionary committee whose responsibilities will include the invitation of the regional soviet conference within two months, for the purpose of instituting a permanent executive organ.
- The financial and technical resources for the region’s executive committee will be provided from the general resources of the Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic; immediate arrangement to be made in this regard by the Azerbaijani central committee.
- To invite a mixed commission composed of representatives from Mountainous Karabagh, Plains Karabagh, Kurdistan and the Central authorities of the Azerbaijani S.S.R. to devise the region’s constitution, facilitate the transformation of authority to the autonomous region, and to determine the borders of the region, all by no later than August 15.
Signed
Vice President of the Central Executive M. Gasumov and
Secretary M. Khanpudaghov
[G. A. Hovhannisian, The Establishment of Soviet Rule in Mountainous Karabagh]
The Karabagh File, Documents and Facts, 1918-1988, First Edition, Cambridge Toronto 1988, by the ZORYAN INSTITUTE, edited by: Gerard J. LIBARIDIAN, p. 37.
