Turkish-Soviet Relations Between Courtesy and Rivalry: Establishment and Activities of the Soviet Consulate in Artvin (1921-1924)
Resul TuranAfter the 1877-1878 Russo-Turkish War, Artvin remained under Russian administration for approximately forty years. Following the Mondros Armistice in 1918, it was subsequently occupied by the British and the Georgians, and by early 1921, it was once again placed under Turkish control. In this new period, within the framework of friendly relations with Soviet Russia, consulates and embassies were established by both countries. The appointment of Ali Fuat Cebesoy as Ambassador to Moscow and the sending of the Soviet diplomatic mission to Ankara were concrete diplomatic steps. As a reflection of these steps, the Soviet Consulate in Artvin was established towards the end of 1921. The aim of this study is to examine the period in light of reports prepared by Aleksandr Mitrofanoviç Detisov (1921-1924), the first Soviet Consul in Artvin, which are currently held in the Russian Federation Foreign Policy Archive. The study explores the process of the consulate’s establishment in Artvin, a gateway to Soviet Russia, the competition and trust issues behind Turkish-Soviet friendship relations, the use of Soviet transition permits as a political pressure, the socio-economic changes in Artvin, the antiSoviet and pro-Soviet movements, and the early steps of Turkish-Soviet relations.
Nezaket ve Rekabet Arasında Türk-Sovyet İlişkileri: Artvin Sovyet Konsolosluğunun Kuruluşu ve Faaliyetleri (1921-1924)
Resul TuranArtvin, 1877-1878 Türk-Rus Savaşı sonrasında yaklaşık kırk yıl Rus idaresinde kalmış, 1918’deki Mondros Mütarekesi’nin ardından sırasıyla İngiliz ve Gürcü işgallerine uğramış ve 1921 yılı başında yeniden Türk idaresine geçmiştir. Yeni dönemde, Sovyet Rusya ile dostluk ilişkileri çerçevesinde her iki ülkede konsolosluk ve elçilikler kurulmuştur. Ali Fuat Cebesoy’un Moskova Büyükelçiliği’ne tayini ve Sovyet elçilik heyetinin Ankara’ya gönderilmesi diplomatik alanda somut adımlar olmuştur. Bu adımların bir yansıması olarak 1921 yılı sonlarına doğru Artvin Sovyet Konsolosluğu açılmıştır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, Artvin’deki ilk Sovyet Konsolosu Aleksandr Mitrofanoviç Detisov (1921-1924) tarafından hazırlanan ve günümüzde Rusya Federasyonu Dış Politika Arşivi’nde yer alan raporlar ışığında dönemi incelemektir. Çalışma, Sovyet Rusya’ya açılan bir kapı olan Artvin üzerinden konsolosluğun kuruluş sürecini, Türk-Sovyet dostluk ilişkilerinin arka planındaki rekabet ve güven sorunlarını, konsolosluğun Sovyet Rusya’ya geçiş izinlerini politik bir koz olarak kullanmasını, Artvin’deki sosyo-ekonomik değişimi, Sovyet karşıtı ve taraftarı hareketleri ve Türk-Sovyet ilişkilerinin ilk adımlarını ele almaktadır.
Located in northeastern Turkey, Artvin serves as a strategic passage between Anatolia and the Caucasus. After the 1877–1878 Russo-Turkish War, Artvin remained under Russian rule for nearly forty years. However, following the Armistice of Mudros, the region witnessed successive occupations by the British and Georgians before eventually returning to Turkish administration. In 1921, Artvin was reintegrated into Turkish administration. During this period, diplomatic relations between Turkey and Soviet Russia flourished, leading to the establishment of embassies and consulates in both countries. The first official diplomatic engagement between the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) and Soviet Russia began with Foreign Minister Bekir Sami [Kunduk] Bey’s visit to Moscow, followed by the opening of Soviet Russia’s first embassy abroad in Ankara on November 7, 1920. Turkey’s relations with Soviet Russia and the Caucasian republics were solidified through key treaties that ensured the security of its eastern borders: the Treaty of Gyumri (December 2, 1920), the Treaty of Moscow (March 16, 1921), and the Treaty of Kars (October 13, 1921). These agreements established a foundation for diplomatic and economic cooperation, with the Treaty of Kars, in particular, including provisions to facilitate border trade with the Soviets. As a result, toward the end of 1921, Soviet consulates were established in Artvin, Kars, Erzurum, and Rize.
The Artvin Consulate of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR) operated between 1921 and 1933. Aleksandr Mitrofanovich Detisov, appointed as the first Soviet consul, arrived in Artvin in late 1921. Some of the consular staff were local Armenians due to their proficiency in Russian. In his early tenure, Detisov faced financial difficulties, and limited communication between the consulate, Moscow, and Ankara posed a significant challenge. The consulate also engaged in intelligence-gathering activities, and Detisov maintained close relations with Artvin’s Armenian population - a factor that occasionally strained Turkish-Soviet relations. A segment of the Armenian community, which had lived in Artvin during the Ottoman period, had migrated to Batumi, Armenia, and Europe during World War I. However, the new Turkish-Soviet border prevented many Armenians from returning to sell their properties, leading to their estates being rented out by relatives or acquaintances in Artvin. Detisov actively sought to protect the property rights of Russian citizens and engaged with local authorities on this issue. Artvin’s integration into Turkey also raised questions regarding the citizenship status of its Armenian and Russian residents. The Moscow Treaty provided an option to choose Russian citizenship, but Detisov intervened to prevent the deportation of Armenians to Soviet territory.
Border crossings and trade activities became contentious issues between Turkey and the Soviet Union. The Turkish-Soviet border split the village of Sarp in half, prompting efforts to establish customs points and regulate trade in the early years. The consulate began issuing short-term travel permits to select individuals for visits to Batumi. However, the border zone soon became a hub for political dissent, with opposition groups using it as a recruitment and organization center. Artvin emerged as a refuge for Soviet opponents and political dissidents. On the other hand, Detisov cultivated relationships with Artvin’s educated elite, portraying Soviet Russia as a sincere ally of Turkey. He used official holidays and national celebrations as opportunities for propaganda. Although the period of serious tensions arose between the consul and Kazım Karabekir Pasha about Armenians. During Pasha’s visit to Artvin, Detisov highlighted the Pasha’s favorable stance toward Soviet Russia and the fraternal ties between the two nations.
Findings from this study indicate that the Artvin Soviet Consulate played a crucial role in shaping early Turkish-Soviet relations, serving both as a diplomatic outpost and a center for political and economic interactions. The consulate reports provide an opportunity to analyze the contrasts between the old and new administrations. Artvin’s border location and the incomplete establishment of central authority created an environment conducive to banditry and illegal activities. At the same time, Artvin served as a key escape route for anti-Soviet figures, including members of the White Army, Georgian officials, and Ajarian nobles. The consulate operated under severe transportation and communication limitations, hampering its coordination with Soviet authorities. Consul Detisov’s inexperience led to independent decisions that sometimes created tensions with local administrators. His close ties with the Armenian population and his shifting stance on Armenian migration to Soviet territory were among the primary sources of friction. Christian communities in and around Artvin, from 1878 to 1921, experienced significant mobility within Russian territories, leading to specialization in various professions and increased cultural interaction. These migrations resulted in labor shortages in artisanal sectors such as leatherworking and shoemaking in Artvin. The city’s commercial dependency on Batumi was disrupted by the new Turkish-Soviet border, leading to economic disintegration. Initially, the Soviet administration used border crossing permits as a political instrument, later sealing the border entirely. This policy severed economic and cultural ties between interdependent cities such as Artvin-Batumi and Kars-Gyumri. Over time, Turkish-Soviet border took on additional symbolic meanings, particularly during the Cold War, when it became a multifaceted boundary separating capitalism from socialism, Islam from atheism, and also Turks from Georgians. Despite his criticisms of Tsarist rule, Detisov paradoxically praised certain aspects of the imperial administration when highlighting the shortcomings of Turkish governance. This reflects how Turkish-Soviet relations in the early 1920s were still influenced by the legacy of pre-1917 Russo-Turkish conflicts, with mutual distrust lingering between Turkey and the Soviet Union.
