MUNAVVAR SULEYMANOVA
The teacher of Nakhchivan State University
THE 1921 TREATY OF KARS:
DETERMINATION OF NAKHCHIVAN'S STATUS AND TURKEY'S POSITION
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36719/2708-065X/111/78-83
The Nakhchivan issue held strategic significance in Turkey’s South Caucasus policy during the conference held in the city of Kars in September - October 1921. Through the Treaty of Kars, Nakhchivan was granted autonomous status under the Azerbaijan SSR, with its borders clearly defined and legally recognized at the international level. The Turkish delegation also succeeded in protecting the rights of the Turkic-Muslim population in the region and in curbing Armenia’s expansionist ambitions. The separate ratification of the treaty by each republic was essential for ensuring the stability of Nakhchivan’s status and for strengthening Turkey’s strategic position in the South Caucasus.
Keywords: Kars Treaty, Nakhchivan, Turkey, South Caucasus policy, Azerbaijan SSR, Armenian SSR, status, borders, diplomacy.