Note of the People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the RSFSR to the Ambassador of Turkey to the RSFSR Ali Fuad.

 A source: USSR foreign policy documents. Volume 4. p. 128. Moscow. State Political Publishing House. 1960

May 18, 1921 No. 11/1013

Mr. Ambassador,

With great regret, I am compelled to once again draw the attention of the Government of the Grand National Assembly to the actions of the Turkish authorities, which cause a deplorable surprise in our people and which cannot be considered nothing more than a sign of a hostile spirit against the Russian Federal Republic. From the numerous information received by our military authorities, it is clear that acts of violence are being committed in the Kars territory against the inhabitants of Russian origin, who remained there in small numbers.

The Turkish authorities are forcibly expelling these Russians from their villages in order to settle instead of them Muslims specially brought from Asia Minor. In the village of Novaya Mikhailovka, 2000 Muslims were settled in this way, and the Russian population was placed in stables and barns. Newcomers have sown the fields. The same was done in the villages of Grenadierskoe, Novopokrovskoe and others.

On behalf of the Russian Government, I protest in the most energetic manner against such actions by the Turkish authorities and consider it my duty to draw your attention to the feelings that they evoke in the working masses of Russia in the face of such violence against the Russian population of the Kars region.

I also draw your attention to the predicament these actions put us in because of the excitement they cause in our people. Understand that under such conditions it will be impossible for us to go further along the path mentioned in your note No. 424 of 15 May 1 .

I am deeply convinced, Mr. Ambassador, that you will soon provide accurate data on the cessation of these sad actions and on the change in the behavior of the local Turkish authorities in relation to the Russian population in this area.

Please accept, Mr. Ambassador, the sincere assurance of my highest consideration.

Chicherin

1 The note of the Turkish embassy dated May 15, 1921 indicated the difficulties allegedly experienced by the Turkish consul in Tuapse when sending military materials to Turkey, in the repatriation of former Turkish prisoners of war, etc. The note contained a request to give appropriate instructions to the local authorities, as well as to accelerate the dispatch to Turkey of weapons, military equipment and funds in order, as the note emphasized, "to bring closer the friendly relations so happily created between the two Governments."