Today in the history of the North Caucasus... 105 years ago today (June 8, 1918), a treaty of friendship and cooperation was signed between the Ottoman Empire and the Republic of Union of North Caucasian Mountaineers in Batumi. The North Caucasian politicians, who kept their hopes of establishing a Greater Caucasian Confederation together with the Trans-Caucasian governments until the last moment, signed a friendship and cooperation agreement with the Ottoman state against the growing Bolshevik threat in their territory and the attacks of the Bicherahov gangs under the protection of the British. The treaty that was signed when the favorable conditions for the realization of a Greater Caucasian Confederation had disappeared, also meant that the Ottoman Empire officially recognized the independence of the Republic of the North Caucasus. In accordance with the treaty, the Ottoman Empire would provide all necessary military support against the threats towards the Republic of Union of North Caucasian Mountaineers. As a matter of fact, before the ink of the signatures dried on paper, the 15th Division of the Caucasian Islamic Army, consisting of Caucasian soldiers and officers who were selected among the Ottoman subjects, was immediately formed and sent to the Caucasus.
You will find the copies of the original documents in the Ottoman and French languages, as well as the translations of the texts in the Turkish, Russian and English languages in our library.