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Section 3. History
Nuridinov Turdali Kambarovich, senior teacher, the Faculty of History Kokand Pedagogical Institute E-mail: turdali.nuridinov@bk.ru
THE ROLE AND IMPORTANCE OF AZERBAIJAN IN THE FOREIGN POLICY OF THE BUKHARA PEOPLE'S SOVIET REPUBLIC
Abstract. This article covers the issues of interstate relations of the Bukhara People's Soviet Republic with Azerbaijan in 1920-1924. After the establishment of Soviet power in Bukhara, the government of the republic maintained economic and cultural relations with the Soviet republics and foreign countries. In the external relations of the Bukhara People's Soviet Republic, relations with Azerbaijan were important. The Republic of Transcaucasia has become an important bridge for entering the foreign market. For this, the BPSR departments were used in Transcaucasia. Sales departments established trade relations with trade organizations of foreign countries. Azerbaij an had become one of the important allies of the BPSR in economic and cultural relations. The article on the basis of archival materials reveals bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Bukhara.
Keywords: XX century, Central Asia, Transcaucasia, RSFSR, Bukhara People's Soviet Republic, foreign relations, New economic policy, Azerbaijan, embassy, political, economic, cultural relations, Baku, Batumi, wholesale, Turkey, Iran, Western Europe, trade departments, the elimination.
The study of external relations has always been Republic that existed in 1920-1924 was important
considered one of the pressing issues in historical for spreading the ideas of communism in the East. science. The history of friendly relations between In the spring of 1921, the New Economic Policy
the Uzbek and Azerbaijani peoples goes far back began to be introduced in the RSFSR. This policy
centuries. The study of relations between Bukhara gave some freedom to the republics that were under
and Azerbaijan is one of the urgent scientific prob- the influence of Soviet power. Economic needs and
lems in the history and historiography of Uzbeki- devastation, as a result of the military operations of
stan. In Soviet times, this topic was considered one the Soviet troops, forced the BPSR government to
of the forbidden. After the collapse of the USSR, it seek new partners. One of the main directions in
became possible to study this problem using previ- the foreign policy of the BPSR government was the
ously banned historical documents. establishment of comprehensive ties with the repub-
After the overthrow of the power of the emir lics ofAzerbaijan and Georgia. The territory of these
in late August and early September 1920, Bukhara republics was considered the only bridge connect-
became drawn into the sphere of interests of the ing Bukhara with Turkey, Iran and the countries of
Russian Bolsheviks. The Bukhara People's Soviet Western Europe. The initiator of the establishment
of interstate relations with Azerbaijan was the head of the BPSR government F. Khodjaev, a prominent statesman repressed by the Stalin regime in 1937. In turn, the Azerbaijani government sent its ambassador Ali Rizo Narimonov to Bukhara in the summer of 1922, which was received on August 27 by Prime Minister F. Khojaev [1, No. 99].
F. Khojaev in October 1921 sends a government telegram addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs ofAzerbaijan in order to establish political and economic ties between the two republics [2, No. 52]. The Azerbaijani side agreed to establish diplomatic relations with Bukhara [2, No. 52]. The BPSR Government sends its representative to Baku, headed by Mahmoud Said Ahrori, to Baku [3, P. 203]. Cooperation between Bukhara and Azerbaijan was mainly carried out in economic, political and cultural directions. On December 15, 1921, it was decided to organize BNSR trade missions in the cities of Baku, Batumi and Tbilisi [4, P. 191].
The trade mission in Baku began its activity on April 4, 1922. Bukhara karakul, leather, intestines, carpets, alfalfa seeds and other goods were supplied to the Azerbaijani market. [5, P. 27]. Political events taking place on the territory of Transcaucasia influenced the activity of the trade mission of Bukhara. With the formation of the ZSFSR, the main department of the trade mission was transferred to Tbilisi from October 4, 1922. Trade departments in the cities of Baku and Batumi were subordinate to the main department. [5, P. 15].
Despite the enormous difficulties, economic ties between Bukhara and the Caucasian SFSR gradually developed. January 3, 1923 A. Tursunkhodzhaev was appointed official representative of Bukhara to the government of Azerbaijan. He was tasked to establish direct relations with the Department of External Relations of the Caucasian SFSR, for close political and economic relations with the republics of the Caucasus [5, P. 30]. Representatives of Bukhara and the government of the republic have always paid great attention to the role and importance of the
Caucasian SFSR in the foreign policy of the BPSR. Therefore, the plenipotentiary representative of Bukhara A. Tursunkhodzhaev paid great attention to the development of bilateral relations.
The political situation in Transcaucasia influenced the relations of the two republics. With the formation ofthe Caucasian SFSR, the political representation of Azerbaijan in Bukhara was abolished. Despite political changes in the Caucasian SFSR, BPSR representatives in Baku continued their activities. The BPSR trade office in Baku carried out trade operations with state, cooperative and private enterprises of Azerbaijan and foreign states. Products exported to a foreign market were to be sold for Russian and foreign hard currency. The trade mission also had the right to organize joint-stock mixed companies in the Transcaucasia and neighboring places, as well as negotiate with foreign companies in concessions for the processing and irrigation of Bukhara lands [6, P. 3]. The BNSR trade office in Baku was engaged in the sale of Bukhara products not only in the local but also in the foreign market. Various agricultural products were supplied to the foreign market in the form of astrakhan, cotton, silk, leather, licorice root, intestines and others. For the needs ofBukhara, products were bought from the Soviet republics and from abroad in the form of clothing, food, textile products, medical supplies, and household equipment. To carry out cooperation with foreign firms, the trade representative drew up business contracts with firms and private entrepreneurs of the Caucasian SFSR [7, P. 43].
On February 15, 1923, on the orders of the Nazirate (Ministry) of Foreign Affairs of the BPSR, A. Tursunkhodzhaev was appointed diplomatic representative of Bukhara in Azerbaijan. The head office of the trade mission was moved from Tbilisi to Baku [7, P. 4].
With the development of trade relations, the financial representation of the trade representative is strengthening. In July 1922, the representative office had 279.211.000 Soviet money, 1.620 Russian gold rubles, 250.000 Georgian bonds, 3 Turkish gold liras,
50 francs. In addition, there were stocks of products in the form of 1.260 pounds of alfalfa, 9.000 pieces of raw leather, 30.000 pieces of processed leather, 20.000 pieces of goat skin, 324 pounds of wool, 262 pieces of carpet [8, P. 38].
Bukhara sales representatives have established close relations with the Baku technical bureau "Rude", which was engaged in the supply of intestines abroad. On February 9, 1923, "Rude" purchased 104,000 pieces of guts at a price of 30 kopecks of the Russian gold ruble per piece [5, P. 12]. Economic cooperation between the two republics expanded especially in the spring of 1923. On May 14, 1923, a joint-stock company for the cultivation and purchase of licorice root "VIAN" was formed, which was organized by the commissariats of industry, trade and agriculture ofAzerbaijan [9, P. 3]. The main capital of the company amounted to 800.000 rubles, ofwhich 375.000 rubles were invested by the Foreign Trade Commission ofAzerbaijan. The main goal of this society was the joint use of the licorice root processing plant in the city of Chardzhui [9, P. 8]. On May 15, 1923, it was decided to enter the BNSR into the joint-stock company.
The trade mission actively participated in the famous Baku fair. Traditional Bukhara agricultural and livestock products were sold at the fair. For the needs of Bukhara, various industrial goods were purchased [10].
The trade mission at that time focused mainly not only on expanding trade relations with Azerbaijan, but also on exporting Bukhara products, especially karakul, abroad, preferably to the English market [11]. Using trade opportunities of Azerbaijan, sales representatives carried out work on the electrification of the city of Bukhara [10].
The trade mission actively participated in the famous Baku fair. Traditional Bukhara agricultural
and livestock products were sold at the fair. For the needs of Bukhara, various industrial goods were purchased [10].
The Bukhara Trade Representation was engaged in the acquisition of agricultural equipment and military uniforms for Soviet troops from foreign firms [12]. American firms operating in the Trans-caucasus were also drawn into trade cooperation. July 12, 1923 from the American company received 700 million banknotes of the ZFSFR at the disposal of the BNSR trade mission [11]. BPSR sales representatives intended to establish and develop trade relations with the Republic of Ter, Armenia and the North Caucasus [13].
Azerbaijan was important for the Bukhara Republic and in establishing cultural ties with Turkey and Germany. Baku was considered an important place for sending Bukhara youth to the above countries. In 1922, students from Bukhara sent to Turkey arrived in Baku [14]. The Republic ofAzerbaijan also helped in preparing students. On May 4, 1922, students of 5 people under the leadership of Muhiddin Rafik arrived in Baku [15]. On December 26, 1921, Professor Atamanov arrived in Bukhara from Baku to assist in the creation of a state university with its own special library, the amount of which amounted to 36 million rubles [16].
After the formation of the USSR, the abolition of all organs of the BPSR begins, not only abroad, but also in the Soviet republics. In the spring and summer of 1923, the liquidation of all state institutions of the BPSR begins, including in Azerbaijan. On July 9, 1923, the diplomatic mission of Bukhara in Baku was abolished [11]. Good intentions were not destined to come true. By strengthening the policy of sovietization and the state demarcation of 1924 in Central Asia, the BPSR ceased to exist.
References:
1. The newspaper "Bukhoro Akhbori".- No. 99.- September 14, 1922.
2. The Newspaper "Bukhoro Akhbori".- No. 52.- October 12, 1921.
3. The newspaper "Bukhoro Akhbori".- Number 76.- March 27, 1922.
4. The newspaper "Bukhoro Akhbori".- Number 82.- May 4, 1922.
5. The journal "Sharq Yulduzi", 1997.- No. 1.- 203 p.
6. Central State Archive of the Republic of Uzbekistan (herein after - CSA RUz),- f. 48, p. 1, c. 19, p. 191.
7. CSA RUz,- f. 1914, op.1, c. 1, p. 27.
8. CSA RUz,- f. 1914, op.1 c. 4, p. 3
9. CSA RUz,- f. 1914, p.1, c. 3, p. 48.
10. CSA RUz,- f. 1914, op.1, c. 1, p. 38.
11. CSA RUz,- f. 1914, op.1, c. 6, p. 3.
12. CSA RUz,- f. 53, op.1, c.142, p. 97.
13. CSA RUz,- f. 1914, op.1, c. 10, p. 144.
14. CSA RUz,- f. 53, op.1, c. 26, p. 71
15. CSA RUz,- f. 53, op.1, c. 242, p. 54.
16. CSA RUz,- f. 48, op. 1, d. 19, p. 124.
