MOSCOW. March 19 (Interfax-AVN) - Moscow assumes that the Treaty of Kars, which was signed by Russia, Turkey, and the Bolshevik leaders of Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan in 1921, is still in force.
"Georgia signed the Treaty of Kars in 1921 as an independent state. Observance of this treaty in no way contradicts Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity," a source in the Russian Foreign Ministry told Interfax.
"On the contrary, it promotes the development of the new Georgian state, which emerged after the collapse of the USSR," the source said.
Ajaria's leader Aslan Abashidze said earlier in an interview with Interfax that Russia "not only should, but simply must protect Ajaria."
"There is the Treaty of Kars, under which Turkey is to protect the autonomy of the Republic of Ajaria. Before the Treaty of Kars, there was the Treaty of Moscow, which envisaged the same obligations. Russia is obligated to do it (protect Ajaria - Interfax)," Abashidze said.
Turkish Ambassador to Azerbaijan Unal Chevikoz told reporters on Wednesday that Turkey has the right to bring its troops into Ajaria under the Treaty of Kars. "I think there is no need to clarify anything in this respect. The agreement remains in force, and that's enough," the diplomat said.
"After being part of the Ottoman Empire for almost three centuries, Ajaria became part of Georgia as a result of the 1877- 1888 war between Russia and Turkey," said a Russian Foreign Ministry source. It only became autonomous after a series of international treaties and agreements legalized the new post-war division in Europe, including in Transcaucasia, the source said.
One such document is the Treaty on Friendship between Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, which was signed on October 13, 1921.
The source pointed out that the second part of Article 6 of the Treaty of Kars talks about unimpeded transit of all goods passing through the Batumi port "without delays and duties of any kind."