France has always been the most important émigré center for Caucasian émigré groups during the interwar years which had given a wast opportunity to the political immigrants toı run anti-soviet activities. Upon having learned about some secret negotiations between France and the Soviets, diplomatic representatives of the Caucasian republics and Ukraine in exile in France have written a letter to the Foreign Minister of France in mid-1927. You’ll find the English translation of the letter dated June 17, 1927, here below and the original document at the link in the Primary Sources section of our library.
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Caucasian diplomats emphasized that they are ready to accept to pay their share of the debt of the Russian empire when their lands are liberated from the yoke of the Russian Bolsheviks. So, in a way, they tried to prevent the French to ally with the Soviets. However, the offer of the Caucasians was not satisfactory enough that the French continued to get closer to the Soviets step by step in the following months and it ended up with the Kellogg–Briand Pact in August 1928 where Caucasians were left tete-a-tete w,th the Soviet regime. In addition to the letter dated June 17, 1927, the representatives of the Caucasian republics in exile had given a protest note on the next day the treaty was signed to Aristide Briand, and all parties who participated in the pact emphasizing that they will not recognize the agreement. Besides emphasizing that they have drawn the attention of western Governments and the League of Nations more than once to the awful situation of peoples of the Caucasus under the cruel yoke of Moscow, they stated that Caucasians are in a state of self-defense vis-à-vis the aggressors, and as long as Russian Bolsheviks have not evacuated their territories, they will be forced, despite all their commitment to peace, to continue to fight for the restoration of their imprescriptible rights, and the Covenant signed on August 27, 1928, according to the competent comments of its authors, not only does not exclude the right to defend national freedom but in fact implies it. You can also have access to the scan copy of the original document of the protest note from the following link in the Primary Sources section of our library.
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Consequently, the process had ended up with a Franco-Soviet treaty of mutual assistance on May 2, 1935. After this agreement, France started to deter all anti-Soviet activities in its territory and pushed Caucasian political immigrants into the arms of German national socialists. So, the Caucasian diplomats have never learned the gold equivalent of the freedom of their country from the French…
His Excellency
Mr. Aristide Briand Minister for Foreign Affairs
PARIS
Paris, 17 June 1927
Mr. President
We, the undersigned, representatives of the National Governments of the Republics of Azerbaijan, Georgia, the North Caucasus, and Ukraine, have the honor to address ourselves herewith to Your Excellency, as well as to the personality who manages the foreign policy of France with such competence and authority.
You are certainly, Mr. President, unaware that the representatives of the Democratic Republics of the Caucasus and Ukraine, which have been in Europe since 1920-21, make it their duty to work constantly for the work of recovering the freedom and independence of their peoples, independence which was recognized in various forms by the Supreme Council of the Allied Powers as well as by other States.
The task of the said representatives abroad goes hand in hand with the uninterrupted struggle waged by our people at home against the invaders. This state of permanent struggle internally and externally proves that our people cannot get used to the idea of losing their independence. As qualified representatives of our peoples, we have repeatedly affirmed and continue to state categorically that we will not accept the loss of the political and economic independence of our people, which has cost them so much blood, whatever happens. Despite these sacrifices and this Russian Bolshevik regime brought into the countries occupied by the Russians: mass executions, deportations to Siberia, etc... Our people are ready and capable of suffering new sacrifices in defense of their stolen freedom.
The information we receive from our countries shows us the tenacity and strength shown by our people in the struggle against the occupying power. The heroic efforts of our people fighting for their freedom are a great comfort to us and remind us of our sacred duties as defenders of a just cause before the civilized world.
To this end, we, the undersigned, representatives of the Democratic Republics of Azerbaijan, the North Caucasus, Georgia, and Ukraine, considered it our duty to inform the Government of the great country where we have found asylum, that we have decided to unite our efforts, both in the struggle against our oppressors and in the defense of the rights of our peoples before the outside world. We hope that the joint efforts of the said representatives will contribute to bringing the hour of deliverance closer to the peoples concerned and will definitively introduce the spirit of Locarno and the aims pursued by the League of Nations into those troubled parts called Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
It is superfluous to note that in carrying out this salutary task from the point of view of the tranquility of two worlds- Europe as well as Asia - we base great hopes on
The moral support of France, inspiring and protecting the freedom of oppressed peoples. Not to mention the deep feelings of our people towards France, we can affirm that the French people, who are pursuing a policy of stable peace in the world, will find faithful friends in the peoples of Ukraine and the Caucasus.
With a population of more than 50,000,000 souls, a vast territory with access to two seas, its immense and inexhaustible natural wealth such as oil (Azerbaijan and North Caucasus), manganese (Georgia), wheat, and coal (Ukraine), these countries can play an important political and economic role on the borders of Europe and Asia.
Thus, this political unity, the importance of which is quite easy to calculate, would add its framework to that of the countries of Eastern Europe and the Balkans which are today the auxiliaries of the French people in the maintenance of peace. Their geographical location serves as a barrier against the Power, whose worrying trends, unfortunately all too obvious, will be consolidated reassuringly because of the accession of Ukraine and the Caucasus to their alliance system.
But there is yet another issue, of particular topicality, on which we consider ourselves obliged to speak out on behalf of our people clearly and fairly.
We have in mind the question of the debt of the former Russian Empire to France and its nationals. Our point of view on this issue has been expressed on other occasions. We are following with interest the work of the Franco-Soviet conference and the talks taking place there.
The Soviet delegates, relying on the fact of the incorporation by force and violence of our countries into their "Union", claim to speak on behalf of the latter. Expressing our regret for this anomaly which allows the oppressors to represent their victims - and this in the middle of the twentieth century and in the very heart of this civilization which has created the noblest human ideas - we consider it our duty as legitimate representatives of our peoples to declare that we do not share in any way the "arguments" of the Bolshevik delegates which they seek to put forward, to evade the obligation which is the very basis of international relations; We find that this attitude of the said delegates - when they speak on behalf of all the peoples of the "Union" - is not compatible with the honor and duties of our peoples.
Tsarist Russia had indeed subjugated our countries by force of arms; that it had suppressed our independence, that it had appropriated our wealth... Nevertheless, recognizing the fact that our countries were part of the Empire, we find it fair to affirm that each of our peoples is ready to recognize the debt contracted by Russia in France and that it undertakes to repay its part of this debt through a fair and just distribution.
Recognizing this principle now, we intend to begin to fulfill this obligation when our peoples return to the possession of their national resources, resources that are being squandered today by the occupying power for purposes quite alien to those of our nationals.
We hope that we are not far from the salutary moment when our peoples, having regained their independence, will fulfill their international obligations and resume their place among civilized nations.
Please accept, Sir, the assurances of our highest consideration.
Signed TOPTIBACHY Chairman of the Delegation of Azerbaijan
Signed BAMMATE
Acting Chairman of the North Caucasus Delegation
Signed TCHENKELI
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Georgia in France
Signed CHOUL GUINE
Head of Mission of the Ukrainian Democratic Republic in France
Cem KUMUK
Istanbul, 3 August 2023