[MANUSCRIPT / THE PROVISIONAL NATIONAL GOVERNMENT OF THE SOUTHWESTERN CAUCASUS] Autograph historical document signed by the Minister of Internal Affairs of the State "Ali Riza", describing the aim of the new state, with bilingual and negative stamps...

ALI RIZA (Minister of Internal Affairs of the Provisional National Government of South West Caucasia), Manuscript, [1919].

[MANUSCRIPT / THE PROVISIONAL NATIONAL GOVERNMENT OF THE SOUTHWESTERN CAUCASUS] Autograph historical document signed by the Minister of Internal Affairs of the State "Ali Riza", describing the aim of the new state, with bilingual and negative stamps on paper, in 1919.

Original autograph manuscript on paper. Oblong: (17x21 cm). In Ottoman script (Old Turkish with Arabic letters). 8 lines on 1 page. Folded in half.

An important historically significant document of the credentials of the Provisional National Government of the Southwestern Caucasus, or the Kars Republic, established in 1918. It was a short-lived nominally-independent provisional government based in Kars, northeastern Turkey. Born in the wake of the Armistice of Mudros that ended World War I in the Middle East, it existed from December 1, 1918, until April 19, 1919, when it was abolished by British High Commissioner Admiral Somerset Arthur Gough-Calthorpe. Some historians claim that the Republic of Kars was a puppet state of the Ottoman Empire. The government, headed by Fahrettin Pirioglu, containing the territory to be the predominantly Muslim-inhabited regions of Kars and Batumi, parts of Yerevan Province, and the Akhaltsikhe and Akhalkalaki districts of Tiflis (Tbilisi) Province. In practical terms, however, the government was confined to Kars Province and existed alongside the British governorship created during the Entente's intervention in Transcaucasia.

English translation of the script:
"Our government (Cenûb-i Garbî Caucasus), which is formed with the aim and aim to follow the Social Democrat Principle, is to protect our border in the agreement, to defend our nationality in every way, and to be in a position to protect our national authority. Timur Pasha Khimshiashvili (Hamshizâda) from Adjara, having the authority to be included in the general conference, has made our public power of attorney, which has been appointed and commissioned by our government, to this trustee... Deputy Head of the Government of the Republic, Minister of Internal Affairs Ali Riza".

Timur Pasha Khimshiashvili from the Adjara region of Georgia was a descendant of a Georgian noble family and he was an Ottoman soldier and statesman. He and his subordinates also took on the duty of protection in the Eastern campaign of Nuri (Killigil) Pasha, the commander of the Caucasian Turkish-Islamic Army, which was established by Halil Pasha upon the directive of Enver Pasha, and prevented possible future assassinations.

Turkish transcription:
"Sosyal Demokrat Prensibini takip eylemek gaye ve emeliyle tesekkül eden (Cenûb-i Garbî Kafkas) hükûmetimizi ol babdaki hududnâmedeki hudûdumuzu muhafaza, hukûk-u milliyemizi her sûretle müdafâa ve düvel-i muazzama sefîr ve murahhaslariyla menâfî-i milliyemiz dâhilinde mükâlemette bulunmak ve sulh-u umûmî konferansina dâhil olmak salâhiyetini hâiz olmak üzere Acarali Hemsizâde Timur Pasa, hükûmetimiz tarafindan murahhas tâyin ve intihab kilinmis oldugunu hâvî vekâlet-i ammemizi câmî is bu itimadnâmemiz bilintizam mîr-i mümâileyh yeddine itâ kilindi. Hükûmet-i Cumhûriye Reisi Vekili, Dâhiliye Nâziri Ali Riza".