Transcaucasian Sejm's Delegation on Conferences in Trapizon and Batumi (March-May, 1918)

The paper examines the activities of the delegation of the Transcaucasian Sejm sent to Trabzon and Batumi during the last stage of the First World War, in the spring of 1928, for negotiations with the Ottomans. The aim of the research is to identify, based on the study of the history of the Transcaucasian Sejm Delegation, the resistance and disagreement between the Transcaucasian nations, which made it possible for the Transcaucasia to exist as a separate political entity - the state.
Georgians and Azeris predominated in the delegation on national grounds, while Armenians were in minority. The national ratio proved to be significant in making decisions during the meetings of the current delegation in Trabzon. The delegation of the Transcaucasian Sejm sent to Trabzon and Batumi Peace Conferences represented conglomeration of nationalities and parties and not a unified state delegation. They failed to reach agreement on a number if issues. Their national interests proved to be so incompatible they were unable to develop a consensus-based action platform and confront the Ottoman diplomats with united force. The delegation was not backed by military forces that could compel the Ottomans to make some concessions. During the activities of the Transcaucasian Delegation, it became even clearer that the existence of the Transcaucasian state had no prospects.