Note of the Plenipotentiary Representative of the Ukrainian SSR in the RSFSR to the Ambassador of Turkey in the RSFSR Ali Fuad - 13 August 1921

 A source: USSR foreign policy documents. Volume 4. p. 270. Moscow. Gospolitizdat. 1960

13 August 1921

Mr. Ambassador,

Wishing to expedite the conclusion of a peace treaty with Turkey and to provide evidence of its ardent feeling of friendship for the Turkish people, the Government of the Ukrainian Soviet Republic accepts the Turkish Government's proposal that Angora be chosen as a meeting place for the Ukrainian and Turkish delegations. For this purpose, the Ukrainian Government appoints as its first delegate a Ukrainian comrade, Mikhail Vasilyevich Frunze, Commander of the Order of the Red Banner, commander of all land and naval armed forces of Ukraine, a member of the All-Ukrainian Central Executive Committee of Soviets, a member of the Council of People's Commissars. Citizen Frunze intends to leave for Angora at the end of August this year. *

In bringing this decision of my Government to your attention, I have the honor to ask you, Mr. Ambassador, to do everything necessary to inform the Government of the Turkish Grand National Assembly about this in a timely manner, as well as to inform me of its consent.

As for the conclusion of a convention on the repatriation of prisoners of war, my Government agrees, given the impending start of peace negotiations in Angora, to discuss this issue and conclude such a convention here in Moscow.

I ask you, Mr. Ambassador, to accept the assurances of my deepest respect.

Plenipotentiary Representative of the Ukrainian SSR in Russia

Kotsyubynsky

* The Extraordinary Embassy of the Ukrainian SSR headed by M.V. Frunze was in Turkey from November 24, 1921 to January 16, 1922.

The mission of MV Frunze, undertaken during the difficult military situation in Turkey, testified to the Soviet state's support for the national liberation struggle of the Turkish people. M. V. Frunze's address to the Turkish people, which was read out on December 20, 1921 in the Mejlis, said:

“The history of the Soviet republics has much in common with the history of revolutionary Turkey ... However, none of us should hide the fact that good-neighborly relations between Turkey and the Soviet governments are subject to many dangers.

 There is no doubt that after the enemies of Turkey, who decided to wipe out the Turkish state from the face of the earth with fire and sword and turn it into their colony, met with heroic resistance from the Turkish working people, rallied around the Great National Assembly, and became convinced of the strength and vitality of the Turkish nation, they will try to change the nature of their actions. It goes without saying that they will begin to play the role of flattering friends and well-wishers and will make every effort to undermine the friendship between Turkey and the Soviet governments - this is the only guarantee of the integrity and independence of Turkey and, pushing Turkey to act against the Soviet governments, under the guise of friendship will try achieve a goal that they could not achieve with the help of weapons.

But we are confident that the government and people of Turkey, who have endured so many trials and received so many lessons from political history, will not be deceived by tricks and intrigues ... "

A telegram from Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk) to the Chairman of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee M. I. Kalinin and the Chairman of the All-Ukrainian Central Executive Committee G. I. Petrovsky said about this appeal: “The Grand National Assembly of Turkey was happy to hear the statements of Mr. Frunze, Republics that by themselves will leave an indelible mark on the history of our independence. The members of the Assembly took these statements with great satisfaction, and each phrase caused a storm of applause ... , sent to us Mr. Frunze, one of the largest political figures and commander-in-chief, as well as one of the most valiant and heroic commanders of the Red Army, and the fact that this decision was communicated to us on the eve of the Sakarya battle [see. approx. 66], at a time when the enemies announced to the whole world that our final defeat was a matter of the near future, evokes a particularly deep feeling of gratitude among the members of the National Assembly. This fact is all the more highly appreciated by our Assembly because it is a confirmation of sincerity and sympathy, which are the most important factors of current political relations. " when the enemies announced to the whole world that our final defeat was a matter of the near future, arouses a particularly deep feeling of gratitude among the members of the National Assembly. This fact is all the more highly appreciated by our Assembly because it is a confirmation of sincerity and sympathy, which are the most important factors of current political relations. " when the enemies announced to the whole world that our final defeat was a matter of the near future, arouses a particularly deep feeling of gratitude among the members of the National Assembly. This fact is all the more highly appreciated by our Assembly because it is a confirmation of sincerity and sympathy, which are the most important factors of current political relations. "

As a result of negotiations between M. V. Frunze and the leaders of the Turkish government on January 2, 1922, a Ukrainian-Turkish treaty of friendship and brotherhood was signed.

In a telegram sent on January 4, 1922 to the Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the Ukrainian SSR, MV Frunze noted: "The treaty aroused great interest in government circles, among the deputies of the VNST and the population."

MV Frunze's negotiations with the leaders of the Turkish government, his trip around the country, meetings with representatives of various public circles helped to improve mutual understanding between the Soviet republics and Turkey. In a letter to G.V. Chicherin dated March 1, 1922, the plenipotentiary representative of the RSFSR in Turkey, S. I. Aralov, reported: “The stay of Comrade. Frunze left a deep mark here. They speak of him as a wonderful, sympathetic person, they consider him a great friend of Turkey, he dispelled all misunderstandings and turned the sympathies of the Turks towards the RSFSR. Of course, he is considered a representative not only of Ukraine, but of the entire RSFSR, and his words, promises, speeches, judgments are considered the views of the entire Federation. "