EXTRACT FROM THE GAZETTE OF THE SITTINGS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA

6 June 1918

Chaired by the acting Minister of Defense G.T. Giorgadze

Attended: the Ministers - G. D. Zhuruli, Minister of Finance; I. N. Lordkipanidze, Minister of Roads; Sh. V. Meskhiev, Minister of Justice; N. G. Khomeriki, Minister of Agriculture and Labour; G. M. Laskhishvili, Minister of Public Education.

The Comrades (deputies) of Ministers: including, labour– I. I. Pirtskhalaishvili, Kandelaki –Finances, I. M. Malania – Road Transportation, P. I. Sabashvili – Food,

G. I. Gvelesiani – Justice.

Participated the delegates from the People‘s Council of Abkhazia led by R. I. Kakuba.

Secretary – G. Cherkezov

The delegate from the People‘s Council of Abkhazia R. I. Kakuba greeted the Government of the Republic of Georgia and spoke about unity of the interests of the Abkhaz and Georgian people, their spiritual and cultural ties and expressed the vocation to retain it after the power would be completely passed to the People‘s Council of Abkhazia and asked the Georgian Government to render friendly assistance in organizing the state power in Abkhazia. Chairman – the Defence Minister welcomed the representatives of the Abkhaz people and underlined the unity of ideas and objectives of Abkhazia and Georgia expressing the desire to further strengthening of this fraternal union of two peoples.

Then two documents adopted by the People‘s Council of Abkhazia were announced.

In the first document the people‘s Council of Abkhazia informs the National Council of Georgia that upon declaring the independence Abkhazia lost the legal ground for relations with Georgia and the whole power was taken by the People’s Council of Abkhazia.  Taking into account the unity of the interests of Abkhazia and Georgia, the  Abkhaz People’s Council anticipates the National Council of Georgia to assist in state arrangement through retaining Georgian Red Guardia on the territory of Abkhazia.  At the same time it expresses the protest to the National Council of Georgia upon the decrees issued by the Government of Georgia that violate the sovereign rights of the Abkhaz People’s Council. For negotiations with the Georgian Government the  Abkhaz People’s Council delegates his representatives: R. I. Kakuba, V. G. Ghurjua, G. D. Adamov and G. D. Tumanov.

Under the second document the  Abkhaz People’s Council informs the Government of Georgia that Abkhazia, as a plenipotentiary member of the Trans-Caucasus Federation shares the part of debt and deems necessary participation of its representative, together with representatives of other federative nations in the work of liquidating commission;  V. G. Ghurjua, G. D. Adamov and G. D. Tumanov are authorized to participate in this activity.

R. I. Kakuba gave explanation to the issues raised by the Ministers of the Government of Georgia with regard of the situation in Abkhazia.

Proceeding from the report of R. I. Kakuba, the  Abkhaz People’s Council is going to convene the Congress with participation of representatives of all the peoples residing on the territory of Abkhazia in the nearest future.  The election of the People’s Congress will be held based on the four-member formula.

Currently there are several political movements in Abkhazia with this or that orientation.

For example, well-off landowners have the inclination to Turkey as they hope that Turkey will restore their lost rights; there is also a small group with Bolshevik orientation; a part of population expresses the sympathy to the North Caucasus highlanders.

In fighting against these movements the  Abkhaz People’s Council needs the assistance of the Government of Georgia and hopes that the Georgian Red Guardia will not be withdrawn from the territory of Abkhazia facilitating Abkhazia in arranging the administration and helping the newly-created international detachment in fighting against these elements.

The  Abkhaz People’s Council is facing the lack of finances and expects Georgia helping them through financial means too.

For solving all of these issues and for reaching the agreement between Georgia and Abkhazia, the Georgian Government entrust its ministers S. Meskhiev and N. Khomeriki with the task of elaborating the text of the Agreement and submit it to the Government of Georgia for further discussion. 

After adoption of this Resolution the delegates of the  Abkhaz People’s Council left the session hall and the Government continued discussion of the Agenda.

(…)

Chairman

Head of Government Administration

(Central State Historical Archive of Georgia, f. 1861, desc. 1, file 10, p. 84-85)