TNT History Archives: Enver Pasha Sent Ultimatum to Trotsky (May, 1922)

//Ed. note: This article was published in the newspaper
'Sırât-ı Müstakîm' in Ankara on 25 August 1922.  Earlier
that month, Enver Paşha, the former Ottoman leader, had
died fighting against the Russians near Duşanbe, in 
Tajikistan.// 

Khiva Khan in Russian Prison (1920) click here for a TNT
report about a Turkish POW who translated for the Khan
of Khiva in a Moscow prison.



Central Asia Activities

Russian newspapers are writing that Azerbaijan Prime Minister
(Neriman) Nerimanov (currently Chief of the Caucasus States) has
communicated  this ultimatum from the Commander-in-Chief of
the Bukhara, Khiva and Turkistan Moslem Force to the Moscow
government:

"To the Chief of the Peoples Commissars Nerimanov.

I request that you communicate the decisions of the "Supreme Assembly" 

of  people who were once a part of the Russian Soviet Republic to the 

Russian Commissers Assembly and the Pan-Russia Central Committee.

At my insistence, the aforementioned "Supreme Assembly"has put off

any military operations against Soviet Russia and the Red Army until

a response is received from the Moscow Commissers Assembly and 

the Pan-Russia Central Committee.  At the same time, I have been 

tasked to be the spokesman for the firm determination of the people of

Bukhara, Khiva and Turkistan, regarding recognition of their

independence by Russia.  

The Supreme Assembly proposes to the Soviet Russia government 

that it communicate to all its centers that its soldiers withdraw from 

Bukhara, Khiva and Turkistan within 15 days.  In the event that the

this proposal is accepted by the Soviet Russia Commissars Assembly

then political prisoners and captives will be released.

I request that you (Nerimanov) immediately communicate to War

Commissar (Leon) Trotsky and Commander-in-Chief (Lev) Kamenev

that the Supreme Assembly of the People of Bukhara, Khiva and 

Turkistan demands that the Red Army withdraw from these countries 

in order to avoid hostilities with the Army of the People of  Islam.

Motivated by its deep feelings and kindness toward the Russian people,

the Supreme Assembly of Khiva, Bukhara and Turkistan will refrain 

from military operations.

I consider it my duty to state and declare that the Supreme Assembly

will be free to act after two weeks from the communication of this

decision to you, in the event that the Soviet Russia government deems 

it appropriate to comply with the wishes of the forces of Islam and the 

people, who have a firm determination for their liberation from the 

oppressive tyranny of the Communist officials sent by Moscow to these 

Islamic countries, where the people are stooped beneath the yok of the 

despotic commissars.

19 May 1922

The HQS of Enver Pasha, Commander-in-Chief of the Combined 

Moslem Forces of Bukhara, Khiva and Turkistan."