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Again in contrast to the former period, the idea of establishing a Confederation was 
accepted as the most viable and realistic solution for the future of the Caucasus. 
The ideal of the Confederation was now not only a word for coalescing the leaders 
seeking a return to power, but it was the solution to the intractable internal 
problems the region faced because of nationalism and religious differences. 
In Paris, the representatives of the North Caucasus, Azerbaijan, Georgia and 
Armenia, in response to Bolshevik occupation, decided to form a kind of a platform 
or unified body of structure.
329
 In order to strengthen their positions in defending 
their peoples’ rights, they drew up basic plans for the future Caucasian 
Confederation and outlined methods of cooperation. They signed a declaration on 
10 June 1921
330
 and submitted it to the Secretariat of League of Nations on 6 July 
via the representative of Georgia in Paris, in his name and the name of the 
representatives of the three other Caucasian republics. The Secretary-General 
communicated a copy of the Declaration to the Council and the members of the 
League of Nations on 19 July 1921.
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328
 Haydar Bammat, 1936. “Türkiye ve Kafkasya,” Kafkas Almanağı, F. Daryal, eds., 70. Hereafter 
Almanak. 
329
 See M. E. Resulzade, June/July 1952. “Kafkasya Meseleleri V: Kafkasya birliği fikri 
muhacerette,”  Kafkasya (Der Kaukasus), (Munich), 11/12: 5-9; and D. Vaçnadze, March/April 
1953. “Hariçte Kafkasya Birliği Hareketi Tarihi I,” Birleşik Kafkasya (Vereinigtes Kaukasien), 
(Munich), 3/4 (20/21): 9-11. 
330
 ‘Declaration des representants des Republiques d’Armenie, d’Azerbaidjan, du Caucase du Nord 
et de Georgie, Paris 10 Juin 1921’ signed by A. Aharonyan, A. M. Topçubaşı, A. Chermoev, A. I. 
Chkhenkeli, the representatives of the republics of Armenia, Azerbaijan, North Caucasus, and 
Georgia respectively. See D. Vaçnadze, “Hariçte Kafkasya”. 
331
 Note by Secretary-General, League of Nations, 19 July 1921, on the alliance, enclosing 
translation of declaration [FO 371/6273] in Caucasian Boundaries: Documents and maps 1802-
1946, 1996. In Anita L.P. Burdett, eds., Archive Editions, London: Oxford, 763-768. Hereafter 
Caucasian Boundaries. 

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This Declaration could be accepted as the first common manifesto of the 
Caucasian peoples in which the basics of the state structure and policies were 
clearly defined. 
In this Declaration, the signing parties declared their desire to eliminate all 
grounds of conflict which caused a discord in the current history of the region and 
stressed their wish to establish an union to ensure the benefits of independence, 
democratic government and economic prosperity for the peoples of the Caucasus. 
The Declaration accepted that the establishment of a close and brotherly 
union as absolutely essential for the consolidation of the independence of these 
republics as well as enabling the Caucasus to act as a connecting link between West 
and East, and between the Christian and Muslim worlds. Their common fate was 
the main basis of the Union. In order to promote a degree of confidence among the 
member nationalities, article IV of the Declaration, stated that the Caucasian 
Republics would refrain from entering into any agreement, action or understanding 
of an international character which might be prejudicial to this alliance. To secure 
independence it proposed the formation of a defensive military alliance among the 
confederate states against foreign aggression. 
While little emphasis was put on common economic interests with a word, 
significantly enough, the future promises and the relations with the foreign powers, 
and especially the neighbouring states, Turkey, Russia and Persia (Iran) were 
analyzed in detail. 
In the article VII, the Confederation’s possible relations with Russia and 
Iran were seen in terms of mutual economic and trade relations. In relations with  
 

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Turkey, however, the demarcation of borders had precedence. In the article it was 
stressed that: 
“they attach equal importance to the establishment of friendly and 
neighbourly relations with Turkey, the Caucasian Republics will endeavour, 
by their joint efforts, to strengthen these relations, subject to Turkey’s 
observing and respecting the inviolability of Caucasian territory as 
constituted by the frontiers of 1914.”
332
 
 
The Confederation was thus made reference to the problems between the 
Armenians and Turks. According to the declaration, this was one of the chief 
obstacles to establishing a union of Caucasian states. Therefore, the declaration 
accepted the solution of the problem as a condition for managing the establishment 
of a true Confederation. The signing parties uttered that: 
“[A] prompt and equitable territorial delimitation of Turkey and Armenia in 
accordance with their mutual interests and within the limits of Turkey will 
be guarantee for peace and quiet in the Near East, and that the strength and 
very existence of the Caucasian Republics and of their Union will depend to 
a large extent on this settlement, to which the Caucasian States will, by the 
joint efforts, contribute.”
333
 
 
In article IX by contrast, both Russia and Turkey were defined as occupying 
states and asked for all kinds of diplomatic means to put an end to this occupation. 
All treaties and agreements on the ceding of territory forced on the Caucasian 
States by neighbouring powers were regarded as having no legal force, and as 
being null and void. 
 
Nevertheless the atmosphere and the attitudes of the Great Powers at the 
Paris Peace Conference did not favor small nationalities. Therefore, these demands 
                                                 
332
 Caucasian Boundaries, [FO 371/6273]. 

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