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of the Turkmanchai Treaty on Bolshevist Government of
Socialist
Russian
February 10, 1828,, under the
Republic
which Persia officially Federative
renounced its claims to north- (RSFSR) not to recognize the
Democratic
ern Azerbaijan and finally Azerbaijani
recognized its annexation, Republic, the deployment of
with the inclusion of the the 11th Red Army on the
Nakhchivan and Eravan frontiers of the Azerbaijani
khanates as belonging to Republic in the spring of
Russia. 1920 led to the occupation of
its capital Baku, and there-
On May 28, 1918, the after, the 114,000 sq kin terri-
tory. The following 70 years,
Azerbaijani
Democratic
Republic was proclaimed in being part of the Soviet
the territory of the eastern Union, marked a new, impor-
part of the southern tant stage in the development
Caucasus. It was the first par- of the Azerbaijani statehood,
liamentary democracy in the during which the Azerbaijan
Muslim World and entire Soviet Socialist Republic
Orient. This was to play a his- forged ahead in its social,
toric role in the renaissance economic and cultural devel- the freedom movement leav- territory of the Republic of
and formation of ethnic iden- opment. At the same time, ing hundreds of innocent Azerbaijan.
tity and statehood of the however, the Soviet period Azerbaijani citizens dead and
Azerbaijani nation. In late also saw negative trends in wounded. The land of arts
1919 and early 1920, the Azerbaijan, as elsewhere
political situation of the throughout the USSR. A state of emergency was One of the indicators of a
Azerbaijani declared in the country that nation's cultural level is the
Democratic
Republic worsened as the At the economic level, the remained in force until mid- degree of development of its
country found itself caught country became a reservoir of 1991. Notwithstanding these applied decorative arts, a
up in a ferocious tug-of-war fuel, raw materials and agri- setbacks, the untiring strug- component part of material
between the countries of the cultural produce for the gle for independence by culture closely associated
Entente, Russia and Persia, Soviet economy. At the cul- patriotic forces of the with the economic, intellectu-
each pursuing its own geopo- tural level, the imposition of Azerbaijani people culminat- al and socio-political aspects
litical goals in this strategical- the Cyrillic alphabet in place ed in the adoption of a decla- of life.
ly important and oil-rich area. of the Latin alphabet severed ration of the Supreme
the country's ties with the Council of the Republic of Carpet making is a very old
Meanwhile, for a very short sources of Azerbaijani litera- Azerbaijan on August 31, and highly developed craft in
period the establishment and ture and culture. During this 1991, on the restoration of the Azerbaijan. Archaeological
development of the demo- period, the territories of State independence of the finds bear evidence that it
cratic institutions, of the soci- Zangazur, Goycha, part of Republic of Azerbaijan. The was already in existence back
ety based on equality, non- Nakhchivan and other dis- act reestablishing the State in the 9th century B.C.
discrimination, transparency, tricts were cut off from independence of the Republic Written sources of later peri-
rule of law, promotion and Azerbaijan. As a result, the of Azerbaijan dated on ods, for instance, writings by
protection of human rights of country's area, which in the October 18, 1991, set out the such antique Greek, Roman
all, including the minorities period of the Azerbaijani foundations for the statehood and Arab authors as
were amongst the most Democratic Republic in 1920 of an independent Azerbaijan Herodotus, Xenophon, Al-
important achievements of accounted for 114,000 sq km, and determined the principles Mugaddasi, also indicate that
the Azerbaijani Democratic was reduced in 1920-1921 to of its political and economic carpet making is indeed a
Republic of 1918-1920, root- 86,600 sq km. structure. With that act the very old craft. Numerous
ed in the good practices and Republic of Azerbaijan once archaeological evidences,
traditions of the Azerbaijani In 1988-1990, the national again, after an interval of 71 relics of archaic carpet-weav-
people. It was very remark- democratic movement in years, became an independ- ing devices testify that carpet
able that all ethnic groups felt Azerbaijan campaigned vig- ent subject of international weaving has developed in
equally protected by the State orously for the restoration of law. Azerbaijan since ancient
whereas the provision of the the country's independence. times and Azerbaijan has
widest possibilities for free On September 23, 1989, A new chapter in the contem- always been in the forefront
development of all ethnic Azerbaijan was among the porary history of Azerbaijan of the Caucasus weaving.
groups living in Azerbaijan first Soviet republics to adopt was ushered in full of its own Vivid descriptions of carpets
was declared by the National its own decision on ups and downs and chal- can be found in the works of
Council (Parliament) of Sovereignty. With the view to lenges, the most important of the Azerbaijani world famous
Azerbaijan, issued from a prevent the process of loom- which
has
become
poets Gatran Tabrizi (11th
nation-wide election, in the ing disintegration of the Azerbaijan's struggle to century), Nizami Ganjavi
Declaration of Independence. Soviet Union, on January 20, restore its territorial integrity (12th century), Khagani
1990, Soviet tanks were sent and sovereignty over the Shirvani (12th century).
The political decision by the to Baku and cracked down on internationally recognized
622006 Diva