A Proposal for the provisional administration of Karabagh: 20 February 1919

[20 February 1919]

A Proposal for the provisional administration of Karabagh

Armenian National Council

20 February, 1919

The project of a Provisional Administration of Karabagh

1. Pending the decision of the Peace Conference, Armenian Karabagh is to be administered as follows:

Note I. Armenian Karabagh is considered the mountainous region [compoed of] the following districts: Shushi, Koriagin, Jevanshir (Jraberd), Elizavetpol (Gulistan) with a compact Armenian majority.

Note II. The Zangezur district is to be administered separately.

2. The government is in the hands of a Provincial Council, residing in Shushi.
3. The Council is composed of 7 Armenians (1 of the town of Shushi, 1 of Khachen, 2 of Varanda, 1of Dizak, 1 of Jevanshir, 1 of Elizavetpol district (Gulistan) and 3 Mohammedans, one from the town of Shushi and 2 from the districts.)

Note I. On the ground of a special agreement the Armenian and Azerbaijani republics are represented in the Council by a delegate each.

4. The Head of the British Mission in Shushi is the chairman of the Council ”ex offico”.
5. The British representative is entitled to control the proceedings of the Council, to abolish or to suspend any of its decisions.
6. The Vice-president of the Council is elected by the Council.
7. All the officials are appointed by the Council.
8. The administration complies with the laws of the Russian Empire (including those of the Provisional Government.)
9. The bills of supplementary laws to add are noted by the Council with a special permission of the British Authorities.
10. The movements of troops by both contracting parties cannot be undertaken without a special previous permission of the British representatives. Both contracting parties are bound to bring the troops back to the line where they had been at the moment of the arrival of the first Mission. In the most important strategic points British detachments and piquets are to be established. The Mission is to determine the number of troops of both contracting parties to stay in the zone under dispute.
11. The expenses occasioned by the administration are to be covered by the establishment of taxes and duties. In the case of a deficit the Council has to find the necessary sums by way of credit.
12. The details of the project are determined by the Council together with the Mission.

Bagaturov,

Member of the Karabagh National Council and delegate of the Fourth Assembly

The Karabagh File, Documents and Facts, 1918-1988, First Edition, Cambridge Toronto 1988, by the ZORYAN INSTITUTE, edited by: Gerard J. LIBARIDIAN, pp. 12-13