The Creation of the Peace Delegation of Azerbaijan

On December 28, a third cabinet was informed to approve a peace delegation headed by Topchibashov and his deputy Hajinskii. The delegation also included two MPs - Ahmed bey Aghayev and Akber agha Sheikulislamov. Consultants were Mir Yagub Mehdiyev, editor of "Azerbaijan" newspaper Jeyhun bey Hajibeyli, and Mahammad Maharramov. It should be added that members of the peace delegation represented various parties and parliamentary factions. As a head of the government and a Foreign Minister Fathali khan Khoyskii signed a mandate conferring the right to take part in the work of the peace conference and negotiate with various states, sign political, economic, and financial agreements on behalf of Azerbaijan. In the absence of Ali Mardan bey in Baku, the government entrusted Mahammad Hasan Hajinskii with heading the delegation in Istanbul.

It was Iranian Foreign Minister, Ali Qoli khan Ansari whileo in transit to Paris informed Topchibashov in Istanbul about the formation of the government and a delegation to attend Paris. During talks with Topchibashov Ansari noted: "You"ve been elected a chairman of the delegation in Paris. Your government resigned. Fathali khan Khoyskii was confirmed as Prime Minister. As far as I know, the Britishers are behaving correctly and decline from interfering with affairs of your government". The government confirmed Ali Mardan bey as a chairman of the peace delegation with a new mandate entitling him to conduct talks with world leaders and acknowledged statesmen, including Woodrow Wilson, Georges Clemenceau, David Lloyd George, Francesco Nitti, marshal Ferdinand Foch, field marshal Henry Wilson, George (Lord) Curzon.

Later December 1918 there was formed an Azerbaijani delegation whose members received their diplomatic passports earlier January 1919. On January 6, the government issued certificates to them for attending the peace conference. On January 7, Foreign Minister Fatali khan Khoyskii signed a diplomatic passport in the name of Ali Mardan bey Topchibashov and a mandate entitling him to represent the Azerbaijani Republic at the peace conference in Paris. To make delegation"s way to Paris easier, commander of the allied forces in Baku, gen. William Tompson gave them on January 3 a letter of recommendation to the British Ambassador in France. The letter noted, "they want to have their say on behalf of the Azerbaijani government, of the future Caucasian government". Another document presented to Ali Mardan bey on January 8 and signed by Deputy Foreign Minister Adil khan Ziyadkhanov requested: to protect interests of endangered Muslim population of Erevan province and seek preserving the current status quo on this territory until the destiny of the Caucasus was decided by peace conference. In addition, the chairman and members of the Azerbaijani delegation were entrusted with protecting interests of Muslim in Batum, Kars and Akhaltsykh.

On January 18, the delegations of Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Northern Caucasus left Batumi for Istanbul. Around this time, Topchibashov had done much work in Istanbul. On January 6, he met with Lewis Heck, a US diplomatic representative, and asked him to assist in applying Wilson"s 14 principles to Azerbaijan and recognition of country"s independence by the United States. On January 10, he had talks with Holland"s diplomatic representative van der Does de Willebois. In the course of talks, Willebois noted that a memorandum submitted by Topchibashov provided him with interesting information about Azerbaijan and the Caucasus. He said, "I paid attention to the fact that your country is rich, so you may live at your own expense. You have a lot of oil and cotton but a few of railways". In the end of the talks, Willebois admitted that great changes were expected to take place on Europe"s map. This point of view of the Dutch Minister was built on viability of the new states that emergent on ruins of the Russian Empire in terms of ever changing post-war Europe.

On January 5-6, Topchibashov had meetings with Sergei Sazonov at "Pera Palace" hotel. As a representative of the White Guard governments of Alexander Kolchak and Anton Denikin, Sazonov was going to Paris. Well-known Russian diplomat since 1883, Sazonov worked in the USA, Great Britain, and Vatican; from 1909 to 1916, he led the Foreign Ministry of the Russian Empire and had rendered great services to the formation of the Entente. However, he could not digest the loss of Russia and the formation of new states. A month before, on December 7, 1918 Ali Mardan bey had a circumstantial conversation with the former Russian Foreign Minister Paul Milyukov. Having discussed complex processes going on in Russia, Miliukov, whom Ali Mardan bey knew well since the first Russian revolution, sheered away from answering a question of his attitude to non-Russian peoples as saying that the most important question today was how to save Russia from Bolsheviks. He noted, "If Bolsheviks quit the stage, Russia will be rescued". Asked by Ali Mardan bey about Milyukov"s view on the three South Caucasian Republics with their own governments and armies, the latter replied, "I understand that your peoples had to save themselves, and with that end in view created their own Republics. On the other hand, it was the doing of Germans who put their hands to this business". However, Topchibashov parried Milyukov"s attack as saying: "I think that the former peoples of Russia have decided their destiny, including us, Azerbaijanians".

The first talks demonstrated that Milyukov and Sazonov would fight for "single and indivisible Russia". In turn, Ali Mardan bey informed about the establishment of the sovereign Republic as assuring that Azerbaijan would not interfere with domestic affairs of Russia: "We, Azerbaijanians, are not enemies of Russians; we wish you prosperity in your own country, whether on the basis of Bolshevism, Socialism, or monarchism. At the same time, I declare that Azerbaijanians can no longer live together with Russians. Of the same view are all the Caucasians, except, perhaps, for Cossacks of Terskaya and Kubanskaia provinces. Suffice it to pay attention to newly formed units - Don, Kuban, North Caucasian Republic, and Daghestan. In other words, all physical bonds are broken. Of increasingly greater importance is the spiritual link, and especially social and political outlook. In this connection, there is a great difference and striking discrepancy. This was overlooked by the previous regime and that was a fatal flaw of Russia. This made us unhappy and limited our development. In the meanwhile, Allah endowed us with natural abilities and love for labor. If you want us to be in the bosom of Russia, we are sure to be unhappy as well, for our people is far from extreme socialism of Russia that has presently degenerated into the form of Bolshevism. We shall be always retorted in such a country and doomed to wretched life. Azerbaijanians number 5-6 millions, and they enjoy every opportunity to comply with Wilson"s principle. We shall always be seeking to live independent life in accordance with Wilson"s principles. And we shall always be seeking to preserve our independence and co-exist with our nearest neighbors". Having heard Topchibashov"s opinion on Azerbaijan"s aspiration to separate and live independent life, as well as its intention to set up a Caucasian Confederation, Sazonov added, "From your words it follows that Caucasian Tatars, i.e. Muslims have already buried Russia". Ali Mardan bey objected to this as saying that "we, Azerbaijanians, in an effort to follow our own path and live in compliance with our views, and thus facilitate tasks of future Russia, Russian population. Also, Azerbaijanians want to live in peace and tranquility with our neighbors - Georgians and Armenians, and intend to establish a unified federative republic like the Swiss union". Experienced in politics, Sazonov objected to this as saying: "That"s hardly probable: there is too great difference between peoples of the Caucasus, especially Armenians, they will not go along with you. There were too many bloody clashes with Tatars in the Caucasus. The massacre in Baku when Armenians slaughtered Azerbaijanians, and in September when Azerbaijanians did the same to Armenians. As far as I know, Caucasian Muslims are rather disposed to Russians and do not want to separate from Russia". Ali Mardan bey reasonably replied that it was firstly Russia that abandoned us, not Azerbaijan.

In the course of talks, Sazonov promised that new Russia "will be governed properly to ensure favorable conditions for all the nations to live". As for Bolshevism, Sazonov emphasized, "this is not an idea but a mercenary aspiration to profit by alien and then destroy. A handful of madmen and traitors cannot capture Russia". As for the peoples of the collapsed Russian Empire, Sazonov adhered a position of Great Russian chauvinism with its rather long history. Note that the Old Russian diplomat voted for granting independence to the peoples of the Austria-Hungary and Ottoman Empires but for preservation of the colonial regime in the Russian Empire.

On January 11, 1919, Sultan Mehmet VI Vahideddin received Topchibashov, extraordinary and plenipotentiary representative and a member of the Azerbaijani government. Addressing Sultan, Ali Mardan bey noted: "Your Majesty. Some time ago, you received a delegation of the small Turkic state - Azerbaijan and declared, "Azerbaijani Turks are my little thing". We, Azerbaijanians, remember your great honor with great pleasure and respect". During the talks, Ali Mardan bey pointed out that Azerbaijanians had a great number of ill-wishers; however, Azerbaijanians had never been afraid of them, because they had always a great friend. "Not friend, but brother" - put him right Sultan. He stressed that all the Turks were brothers to Azerbaijanians, and fellowship was eternal. "We have always looked at you as our sincere brothers. You must not collapse. This is transition time. I believe that the Muslim world, especially, Ottoman and Azerbaijani Turks, will witness improvement of their own conditions. There were cases like that in the past but the people should keep a good heart and believe in radiant tomorrow, so you, Azerbaijanians, must try for the future, and Ottoman Turks will not deny assistance". Note that this meeting proved to be an important event in the life of the newly formed Azerbaijani state and had a positive effect on the growth of its political prestige. Istanbul press informed its readers about this meeting. Thus, newspaper "Zaman" of January 12 Wrote, "... Ali Mardan bey is assigned a chairman of the delegation to attend the Paris peace a conference and protect interests of Azerbaijan". The newspaper detailed about biography and 4-month mission of Topchibashov to Istanbul. It wrote, Topchibashov graduated from the Petersburg University and was reputed to be one of Russia"s most popular lawyers; it added that he worked for about 30 years, advocating political rights of Russian Turks against violence and persecutions of the tsarism. During his stay in Istanbul, Ali Mardan bey, despite unfavorable political conditions, worked hard for the sake of his people.

Of great importance was a conversation of Topchibashov with Iranian Foreign Minister Mushavir-ul Mamalek (Ali Qoli khan Ansari). It should be noted that news about the establishment of the Azerbaijan Republic was received malevolently. Still, Topchibashov was successful in easing tensions. He described these talks as follows: "I was not sure that I would have an opportunity to meet with the Persian delegation, in particular, with Foreign Minister Mushaver-ul Memalek. I sent my representative Mirzayev who was told, "We do not speak Turkish". Further complicating the case was general dissatisfaction with the Persian government, especially, a conversation with a local Persian envoy - all these stopped me to continue due to undesirable misunderstanding... I happened to meet Tabriz resident Seid Hasan who was going to visit the Persian Minister. I asked him to hint at my desire to see the Minister. He promised me to given an answer that same day but failed to. I found this situation abnormal, and sent my secretary Hashym bey to the Foreign Minister. Hashym bey immediately returned as saying that Murshaver-ul Memalek asked me to call on me. I came to see him, and found poet Danesh bey there, the latter came from Persian Azerbaijan. The Minister cordially greeted me as saying: "I met you donkey"s years back - I was your guest in Baku together with former envoy Mirza Hasan khan Mushir ul-Mulk. Thus for I remember a pleasant company of Muslim intellectuals".

On January 11 and 15 Ali Mardan bey had two more meetings with the Iranian Foreign Minister. Ali Qoli khan once again confirmed recognition of the Caucasian Republics by Iran as saying that these Republics could provide certain guarantees against future Russia. The chairman of the Azerbaijani Parliament expressed his gratitude and added that earlier an Iranian representative had stated that the state of Azerbaijan was established under Turkey"s pressures. The latter allegedly tried to separate Iranian Azerbaijan from Iran. Ali Qoli khan associated this misunderstanding with a toponym "Azerbaijan" and concluded: "It"s your mistake: until recently our territory with Tabriz as a center has been titled "Azerbaijan". The problem is how are you going to preserve your independence? Your neighbors are Armenians, Georgians, and all of them are your enemies. Entente members are unlikely to sympathize for you because of Turkey". Ali Qoli khan was doubtful about possible confederation with Georgians, especially with Armenians. They have powerful patrons new, so they are unlikely to agree with the federation, they are concerned today about their former kingdom. Ali Mardan bey said that Armenians wanted much but unlikely to gain anything. In the course of talks, the Minister hinted that Iran also claimed on Azerbaijan due to "its historical rights". Topchibashov rebuffed as saying that Azerbaijan had its own important reasons. In the end, the Iranian Minister had to cede some historical realities. He noted, "I"d like you not to forget hard times we, Moscow peoples, have suffered. All are outraged against us. Look at what is happening with Turkey. This state is unlikely to be restored. If we fail to be at one with each other, we shall be doomed to death, extinction. Russians in the Caucasus, first, then Georgians and Armenians (all of them are Christians, being hostile to each other notwithstanding) are sure to eat us up. Therefore, we must restore trust between us. We have not got it so far".

On January 20, 1919, the Azerbaijani delegation arrived in Istanbul. Here, Hajinskii decline his responsibilities and conveyed documents to Topchibashov, including a decision of the Azerbaijani government about Topchibashov"s assignment as a head of the Azerbaijani delegation to the peace conference.