100th anniversary of establishment of the Azerbaijani-American relations

May 28 is the day of the establishment of the Azerbaijan Republic, and also the beginning of the Azerbaijani-American relations. The 100th anniversary of this historic event is marked on May 28, 2019. The foundation of these relations was laid on May 28, 1919, when American President Woodrow Wilson received the head of the Azerbaijani Peace Delegation Alimardan bey Topchibashi in Paris.

In the autumn of 1918, the German-Turkish bloc was defeated in World War I. On October 30, Turkey had to agree to the harsh terms of the Mudros armistice. This defeat was a tragic blow to the Azerbaijan Republic. In accordance to the eleventh article of the armistice, Turkish troops should depart Azerbaijan and the Trans-Caucasus. Ottoman dispatches in Azerbaijan were forwarded an ultimatum to leave Baku within a week and Azerbaijan within a month. On November 10, 1918, the Turkish troops left Baku. That same day Azerbaijan"s prime minister Khoiskii and acting foreign minister Adilkhan Ziyadkhanly sent a telegram to Woodrow Wilson asking him as the most authoritative postwar politician to support the recognition of the Azerbaijan Republic by the world powers. "Before addressing the great powers of Europe, the Azerbaijan people and the government set their hopes on you as a prominent humanist and defender of the interests of oppressed peoples to help us be recognized."

The Azerbaijani parliament started its work on December 7. Mahammad Emin Rasulzade, the chairman of the National Council, opened the first meeting of the Parliament. He hoped to establish full relations with the League of Nations in accordance with the last of U.S. President Woodrow Wilson"s fourteen points. One of the major tasks facing the parliament was the formation of a new government. On December 26 the composition of the new government was announced. Prime Minister Fatali khan Khoiskii made a summary report on the government"s domestic and foreign policy. On December 28 the third cabinet was asked to approve a peace delegation headed by Topchibashi.

President Wilson received the Azerbaijani delegation on May 28, 1919 the first anniversary of Azerbaijan"s independence. Topchibashi was received by American diplomat Henry Morgenthau, former US ambassador to the Ottoman Empire and acting deputy chair of US aid in the Middle East, to discuss the forthcoming negotiations between Wilson and the Azerbaijani delegation. Topchibashi noted: "The most momentous event was the reception of our delegation by President Wilson, for he, like other heads of the Entente states, does not receive delegations personally." Tobchibashi was the first Azerbaijani political leader received by US president Woodrow Wilson.

Topchibashi told Wilson that Azerbaijanis were happy to welcome the president of America, the promoter of principles of peaceful coexistence and the right of nations, including smaller peoples, to self-determination. The delegates had made the long trip to express their gratitude to Wilson for Azerbaijan"s independence and explain the true situation, as "European and American newspapers often provide false, perverted, and distorted information about our country." He hoped that Azerbaijan would be admitted to the League of Nations. "We are confident that like other peoples we shall be assisted based on your great principles."

Ali Mardan bey vowed that they would never recognize "Kolchak and Denikin or any other pretender to power in the territory of the old Russian Empire. We recognize and shall recognize our Azerbaijani parliament and our own government." He told Wilson about the possibility of establishing a confederation of Azerbaijanis, Armenians, Georgians, and other mountain peoples and gave him the delegation"s memorandum, which set for their demands. As the memorandum pointed out, the Azerbaijanis would never welcome the invasion of Bolshevik troops and had already suffered numerous losses in fighting them. The memorandum noted the lack of geographical and ethnographic ties: Azerbaijan was separated from Russia by the Caucasus Mountains; "in much the same way our people have nothing in common with Moscow and the Slav people of Russia." The Azerbaijanis were confident that their national needs would be met by the conference and by President Wilson as a guarantor of peace and security worldwide. The delegation had six demands: (1) recognition of Azerbaijan"s independence; (2) extension of "Wilson"s principles" to Azerbaijan; (3) admission of the Azerbaijani delegates to the peace conference; (4) accepting Azerbaijan into the League of Nations; (5) military aid to Azerbaijan from the United States; (6) establishment of diplomatic relations between the Azerbaijani Republic and the United States. If these demands were satisfied, Topchibashi even promised to pay off Azerbaijan"s share of tsarist Russia"s external debt.

Wilson expressed his satisfaction with meeting the Azerbaijani delegates and learning about the country. However, the question of the recognition of Azerbaijan"s independence remained unresolved: (1) Americans did not want the world to be split into small pieces; (2) It would be appropriate for Azerbaijan to join a Caucasian confederation; (3) The confederation might, if the League of Nations so wished, be patronized by a great power; (4) The Azerbaijani question could not be resolved before the Russian question. As a result of these talks, a special American mission sent to the Caucasus to analyze the local situation reached Baku in October 1919.

Wilson"s reception of the Azerbaijani delegation was broadcast by radio on May 30, according to the French newspapers in Batum. At that time Azerbaijan was celebrating the first anniversary of its independence. At that time, the first anniversary of independence was being solemnly celebrated in Azerbaijan. In his speech to the holiday session of parliament, the chairman of the Council of Ministers, Nasib bey Usubbeyov, while expressing great hopes for the peace conference, said, "the independence of Azerbaijan is an established reality. I am expecting the final verdict of the peace conference with complete equanimity. I cannot even imagine that the representatives of the most civilized nations of the world will stand aloof to the wishes and aspirations of Azerbaijani Turks. Otherwise, I would have scruples about their civilized status compared with that of the Azerbaijani Turks, who are striving to realize such a sacred right as the determination of their destiny and future, and would be justified in criticizing the great civilized nations for fanaticism and religious confrontation."