Azərbaycan Paris Sülh Konfransında (1918-1920)

COMPOSITION OF THE DELEGATION 
The delegation of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Paris peace Conference 
consisted of prominent social and political figures and intellectuals. It is with their 
lives and biographies that they had proven their determined struggle for national 
liberty and heartfelt commitment to the idea of independence. 
Born to a family of aristocrats in Tbilisi, known as a proven leader of not just 
Azerbaijanis, but of all Turks and Muslims of tzarist Russia in early XX century, head 
of the delegation to the Paris Peace Conference Alimerdanbey Topchubashov (1861-
1934) had graduated from the law faculty of Saint-Petersburg University. He had 
commenced his social and political, literary and publicist activity in 1897, as a chief 
editor of “Kaspi” newspaper sponsored by renowned oil millionaire, philanthropist 
and patron of the arts H.Z.Tagiyev. During his editorship the newspaper had turned 
into a megaphone of Azerbaijani people, whose basic human rights had been trampled 
under tzarist tyranny and had gathered around itself democracy-minded intellectuals 
with national ideas. 
As a leader of Turks and Muslims of Russia Topchubashov had become 
widely known for his consistent and principal political activity after the First Russian 
Revolution of 1905. As one of the initiators and organizers of I-III Conferences of 
Muslims of Russia held during the years 1904-1907, he had elaborated the Charter 
and the Program of “Ittifagi Muslim” (Muslim Union) - party that had been 
established in line with the decision of the III Conference, with himself being elected 
to its Central Committee. 
In 1906 Topchubashev had been elected a delegate to First State Duma from 
the Baku province and had established a Muslim fraction in Duma, assuming its 
leadership. He had been among, the 200 signatories to famous “Viborg Declaration”, 
protesting Duma's dissolution by Tzar Nicolas II. After the collapse of tzarism in 
1917, Topchubashev had played a significant role in convening Moscow Conference 
of Muslims of Russia and in making of series of principal decisions regarding the 
future relations of Turkic-Muslim population with Russia. 
During this period he had also lead the activity of Central Committee - 
coordination center of Muslim social-political organizations of the Trans-Caucasus. 
On June 17, 1918 he had been appointed a minister without portfolio in the cabinet of 
the second government formed by Prime Minister Fatali Khan Khoyski and on June, 
22 had been delegated to Istanbul, capital of the Ottoman Empire in the capacity of 
the Ambassador Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Azerbaijan. In December 1918 
Parliament of Azerbaijan had elected him its first chairman. On December 28, 
Parliament had unanimously appointed him head of the Azerbaijani delegation to the 
Paris Peace Conference. 

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Deputy head of Azerbaijani diplomatic mission-Mahammad Hasan Hajinski 
(1875-1931) had graduated from Saint Petersburg Road Engineering Institute and had 
long supervised urban construction department of Baku Duma. In the meantime, 
along with A.Topchubashov, he had been one of the leaders of the Executive 
Committee of Muslim social-political organizations. Later he had joined the ranks of 
“Musavat” party and had been elected a member of the Central Committee during the