At the request of Aravot, historical sciences Ph.D. and professor Edik Minasyan referred to the top-secret letter of the chairman of the Karabakh Revolutionary Committee Asad Karayev addressed to the chairman of the Goris Revolutionary Committee, where Karayev complains that “90% of Zangezur villages are not disarmed yet, the Armenians of Zangezur are not left without leaders, the intellectuals and military paramilitaries are still in the villages.”
The letter also said: “Do not leave any able-bodied person or material wealth in Zangezur, so that this accursed tribe, the Armenians, can no longer stand on their own two feet.” “Karaev wrote the letter from Shushi on July 19, 1919. In the same letter, he wrote that Armenak Gharagyozyan will arrive in Goris in the near future. He said he is late because of money. “Until he receives 22 million rubles, he will not leave. It is a good time to get rich, why not use it? He promises to annex Zangezur to Azerbaijan within 7 days. We have no doubt that you will soon make us happy with the news of Ghapan’s (Kapan’s) annexation to Azerbaijan. If you do not have the power, you have the money. Why are you delaying the annexation of that rebel region to Azerbaijan, justifying the existence of some Ajda (meaning Nzhdeh-EM) Pasha? Find blessed means. What Armenian won’t bring you that man’s (Nzhdeh’s) head for three million rubles? If you need money, send a telegram, we will send it… Greetings to Assad Karaev,” the historian referred to the famous letter. And he especially emphasized the note made at the end of Karaev’s letter.
“In some places rich in the military, in order to weaken the Armenians, kill a Russian soldier and blame the Armenians for that. You know what the Russians will do … Do not leave any able-bodied people or wealth in Zangezur, so that this accursed tribe will not be able to stand on its own two feet. That’s what they did in Russia, that’s what you should do.” The professor mentioned that this letter was sent by Nzhdeh to the Minister of Defense in Armenia. His spies discovered Asad Karayev’s top secret letter. “Nzhdeh wrote in the letter sent to the Minister of Defense, ‘I am sending a document that I have, which shows that the ‘majority’, by personifying the hidden danger of Azerbaijan, are persistently trying to disarm, economically destroy, behead and then deport or annihilate the Armenians of Zangezur.’”
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Then he presented another episode from Khurshudyan’s “Fair Settlement of the Karabakh Issue,” in which it is said that Karaev gave money to Armenak Gharagyozyan and Levon Mirzoyan to hold a referendum in Karabakh in August 1923, as if the Armenian population of Karabakh agreed to join Azerbaijan. In fact, however, they falsified it because the population did not participate in such a referendum. We asked the historian if he thought the Azerbaijani-Turkish policy had changed.
“I do not think anything has changed. They can reintroduce the bribery policy they have always pursued. We do not have concrete facts now, but both the Azerbaijanis and the Turks have always applied it, not only to the Armenians, but also to other peoples. So Karayev’s letter is not accidental,” the historian emphasized. “The government has decided to allocate 200 million rubles to annex Karabakh and Zangezur to Azerbaijan. I repeat my advice again and again – do not regret giving any money. Increase their paychecks, give them gifts, and whatever else they want.”
Minasyan spoke about Karaev’s letter, referring to the book “The Struggle for the Survival of Zangezur in 1920-1921” by historical sciences Ph.D. Aram Simonyan. Karaev also advised them to hurry, as the situation has not changed. “Britain is not asleep, there are speculations in Baku that it can take Turkey on its side, and if that happens before Zangezur is annexed to Azerbaijan, then Zangezur can be considered lost. And may Allah bless us with a friendly greeting. Asad Karayev.”
The historian explained, “In other words, he says, ‘Do everything with as much money as you can…’ He said that they know their forces were destroyed, but their money does miracles instead of their forces. Don’t regret giving any money. Increase their paychecks, give them gifts, and whatever else they want.”
Gohar HAKOBYAN
