Moscow Treaty between Russia and Turkey, March 16, 1921
The Government of the Russian Socialist Federal Republic and the Government of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, sharing the principles of the brotherhood of nations and the right of peoples to self-determination, noting the solidarity between them in the struggle against imperialism, as well as the fact that any difficulties created for one of the two peoples worsen the situation of another, and fully inspired by the desire to establish between them a constant cordial relationship and inextricable friendship based on the mutual interests of both parties, ESHILI conclude a treaty of friendship and brotherhood and appointed for this as their plenipotentiaries:
Government of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic:
Georgy Vasilyevich Chicherin People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs and member of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee,
Government of the Turkish Grand National Assembly:
Yusun Kemal Bey, and the People’s Commissar for National Economy of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, MP Kastamoni in the same Assembly, Dr. Riz Nur-Bey, People’s Commissar for Education of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, MP Sinop in the same Assembly,
Ali Foud Pasha, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, a member of Angora in the Grand National Assembly,
which, after an exchange of powers, found in a proper and lawful form, have agreed as follows:
Article I
Each of the Contracting Parties agrees in principle not to recognize any peace treaties or other international acts, the adoption of which would be compelled by force of the other of the Contracting Parties. The Government of the RSFSR agrees not to recognize any international acts relating to Turkey and not recognized by the Turkish National Government, now represented by its Grand National Assembly.
The term “Turkey” in this agreement means the territories included in the National Turkish Pact of January 28, 1336 (1920), worked out and proclaimed by the Ottoman Chamber of Deputies in Constantinople and communicated to the press and all States.
The north-eastern border of Turkey is determined by the line that starts from the village of Sarpi, located on the Black Sea, passes through Mount Hedis-Mta, the line of the watershed of the Shevshet mountain Kannin Dag, it then follows the northern administrative border of the Ardagan and Kara Sanjaks along the thalweg Arnachay and Araks rivers to the mouth of Nizhny Kara-Su (a detailed description of the border and related issues are defined in Appendix I (A) and (B) and on the attached map signed by both Contracting Parties).
Article II
Turkey agrees to cede sovereignty to Georgia over the port and the city of Batum and the territory lying to the north of the border specified in Art. I-th current treaty and part of the Batumi district, provided that:
1) The population of the localities indicated in this article of the contract will enjoy wide local autonomy in administrative terms, ensuring each community will be given the opportunity to establish a land law in accordance with its provisions.
2) Turkey will be provided with free transit of any goods sent to or from Turkey through the port of Batumi, duty-free, without causing any delays and without taxing them with any fees, with the provision of Turkey the right to use the Batumi port without charge special fees.
Article III
Both Contracting Parties agree that the Nakhichevan region, within the boundaries specified in Appendix (C) of this agreement, forms an autonomous territory under the auspices of Azerbaijan, provided that Azerbaijan does not cede this protectorate to any third State.
In the triangle-forming zone of the Nakhichevan territory included between the thalweg of Araks, and in the west the line passing through the Dagna mountains (3829) Veli-Dag (4121) Bagarzik (6587) Kemurlu-Dag (6930), the border line of this territory starting from Mount Kemurlu- Dag (69303), crossing the Sorai-Bulak mountain (8071), Ararat station and ending at the intersection of Kara-Su with Araks, will be corrected by the Commission, consisting of delegates of Turkey, Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Article IV
Both Contracting Parties, stating the contact between the national liberation movement of the peoples of the East and the struggle of the working people of Russia for a new social system, solemnly recognize these peoples the right to freedom and independence, and equally their right to choose a form of government that is consistent with their desire.
Article V
In order to ensure the opening of the straits and the freedom of passage of merchant ships for all peoples, both Contracting Parties agree to transfer the final elaboration of the international status of the Black Sea and the straits of the future conference from the delegates of the coastal states, provided that its decisions do not prejudice the full sovereignty of Turkey, as well as security of Turkey and its capital, Constantinople.
Article VI
Both Contracting Parties acknowledge that all the agreements so far concluded between both parties do not correspond to mutual interests. They therefore agree to recognize these treaties as null and void.
The Government of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic declares in particular that it considers Turkey free of any monetary or other obligations based on international acts previously concluded between Turkey and the tsarist government.
Article VII
The Government of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic, considering the surrender regime incompatible with the free national development of any country, as well as with the full exercise of its sovereign rights, considers all actions and rights having any relation to this regime to be null and void.
Article VIII
Both Contracting Parties undertake to prevent the formation or stay on their territory of organizations or groups that claim the role of the Government of the other party or part of its territory, as well as the stay of groups aimed at combating other states. Russia and Turkey make the same commitment to the Soviet republics of the Caucasus, subject to reciprocity.
It is considered established that the Turkish territory referred to in this article means the territory under the direct military and civilian administration of the Government of the Turkish Grand National Assembly.
Article IX
To ensure continuity of relations between the two countries, the Contracting Parties undertake to take, by joint agreement, all the necessary measures to preserve and develop at the possible speed rail, telegraph and other means of communication, as well as ensuring the free movement of people and goods between both parties, without any either delays.
However, it is recognized that, with respect to the movement, entry and exit of both travelers and goods, the rules established in each country in this respect will be fully applied.
Article X
Citizens of both Contracting Parties located on the territory of the other party will be subject to all the rules and obligations arising from the laws of the country in which they are located, with the exception of national defense duties, from which they will be released.
Matters relating to family law, inheritance and legal capacity of citizens of both parties also constitute an exception to the provisions of this article. They will be permitted by special agreements.
Article XI
Both Contracting Parties agree to apply the principle of most favored nation to the citizens of each of the Contracting Parties residing in the territory of the other party.
This article does not apply to the rights of citizens of allied Russia of the Soviet Republics, as well as to the rights of citizens of Muslim countries allied to Turkey.
Article XII
Every resident of the territories that until 1918 constitute part of Russia, which the Government of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic recognizes as being now under the sovereignty of Turkey on the basis of this agreement, has the right to freely leave Turkey and take their belongings and their property, or their value. A similar right applies to residents of Batumi, the sovereignty of which Turkey is ceded to Georgia by this agreement.
Article XIII
Russia undertakes to return to Turkey at its own expense to the north-eastern border of Turkey, extending a 3-month period for European Russia and the Caucasus and a 6-month period for Asian Russia, counting from the date of signing this treaty, all prisoners of war and civilian prisoners of war, located in Russia.
The details of this repatriation will be established by a special Convention, which will be developed directly upon signing this treaty.
Article XIV
Both Contracting Parties agree to conclude the Consular Convention in the near future, as well as agreements governing all economic, financial and other issues necessary for the establishment of friendly relations between the two countries specified in the introduction to this agreement.
Article XV
Russia undertakes to take steps in relation to the Transcaucasian Republics necessary for the obligatory recognition by these Republics in the agreements that they will conclude with Turkey of the articles of this agreement directly relating to them.
Article XVI
This agreement is subject to ratification; an exchange of instruments of ratification will take place in Kars as soon as possible.
This agreement shall enter into force upon the exchange of instruments of ratification, with the exception of Article XIII.
In the certificate of the above, the aforementioned representatives signed this agreement and sealed it with their seals.
Done in duplicate in Moscow on March 16th, 1921 (one thousand three hundred and thirty-seventh).
George Chicherin, Yusuf Kemal
Jalal Korkmasov, Doctor Riza Nur
Ali Fuad
Annexes I (A) and (B) of the Moscow Treaty March 16, 1921
Appendix I (A)
The northeastern border of Turkey is set as follows (according to the map of the Russian General Staff on a scale of 1 / 210.000 5 versts per inch):
The Sarp village on the Black Sea is Mount Kara Shalwar (5014), crosses Chorokh north of the village of V. Maradidi passes north of the village of Sabur Mount Hedis-Mta (7052) Mount Kwa-Kibe, the village of Kavtareti is the watershed line of Mount Miedzibna-Mount Herat Kessun (6468 ) following the watershed line of Mount Korda (7910), it exits along the western part of the Shavsheti ridge to the former administrative border of the former Artvinsky district, passing along the Shavsheti ridge, it goes to Mount Sary-Chai (Kara Issal, 8478), the Kvirilsky pass, and from there it goes to the previous administrative border by of the Ardagan okrug at Kani-Dag mountain, heading north from there, it reaches Tlil mountain (grmani 8357), exploring the former border of Ardagan, goes north-east from the village of Badela, to the Poskhov-Chai river and follows this river south to point north of the village of Chapchakh, there it leaves this river and, walking along the watershed, goes to Mount Airily-Bashi (8512), passes through the mountains of Kelletan (9709), reaches Mount Kasris-Seri (9681) and follows the Karzamet-Chai river to the Kura River, from there goes the Talvega of the Kura River and to the point that east of the village of Kartanakov, where it leaves from Kura, passing along the Kara-oglu mountain watershed line (7259), from there, dividing Lake Khazanin into two parts, it reaches the altitude (7580), and from there go to Gek-Dag mountain ( 9152) goes along the mountains of Uch-Tanalyar (9783) Tayla-Kala (9716) - peak 9065, where it leaves the previous border of the Ardagan district and passes along the mountain m. B. Ah-Baba (9063) 8828 8827 7602, passing east from the village of Ibish, reaches a height of 7518 and then to the village of Kizil-Dash (7439) the village of Nov. Kizil-Dash (Kizil-Dash), passing west of Kara-Memed, overlooks the Jambishu-Chai River, located east of the villages of Delaware, B. Kimly and Tikhnis, through the villages of Vartanly and Bashi Muragel, following the mentioned river, goes to the Arna-Chai river north of Kaladi from there, following all the time along the Talveg, Arna-Chai goes to the Araks River and follows the Araks Talveg to the confluence of Lower Karasu. (N. V. Of course, the border follows the lines of the watersheds of the above heights).
George Chicherin, Yusuf Kemal
Jalal Korkmasov, Doctor Riza Nur
Ali Fuad
APPENDIX I (B)
Taking into account that the border line, as indicated in Appendix I (A), is the thalwegs of the Arpa-Chai and Araks rivers, the Government of the Great National Assembly is obligated to move the line of blockhouses at a distance of 8 versts from the Alexandropol-Erivan railway in its current outline in railway area in the Araks region. The lines bordering the above areas are indicated below for the Arpa Chai zones in paragraphs A and B of paragraph I and for the Arax zone in paragraph 2.
I. Arpa-Tea Zone
A) Southeast of Vartanla, east of Uzun-Kiliss through Mount Bozar (5096), 50825047 east of Karmir-Vank Uch-Tapa (5578), east of Araz-Oglu, east of Ani, reaches Arpa -Tea west of Yeni Kay.
B) It departs from Arpa-Chai east of the height of 5019 and goes directly to the height of 5481 at 41/2 versts east of Kyzyl-Kul two versts east of Bojaly, then the Digor-Chai river flows along this river to the village of Duz-Kechut and goes directly north of the ruins of Karabagh and overlooks Arna Chai.
II. Arax Zone
A direct line between Kharaba Alidjan and the village of Suleiman (Diza). In areas limited on one side by the Alexandropol-Erivan railway line and on the other by lines located at a distance of 8 and 4 versts from the above railway line. The Government of the Great National Assembly undertakes not to erect any fortifications (these distance lines are outside the above zones) and do not contain regular troops in them, however, it retains the right to have troops in the above zones to maintain order, security and for administrative needs.
George Chicherin, Yusuf Kemal
Jalal Korkmasov, Dr. Riza Nur, Ali Fuad
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