Portrait of Noe Ramashvili, prime minister of Georgia.
The Treaty of Poti was a treaty signed on May 28th, 1918, between the Democratic Republic of Georgia, represented by Prime Minister Noe Ramishvilli, and the German Empire, represented by General Otto von Lossow. The treaty secured Germany's protection and recognition of the Georgian Republic.
Background[]
After the collapse of the Russian Empire, the Transcaucassian Commissariat declared its independence. This state wouldn't last long however, as the committee of Armenians, Azerbaijanis, Georgians, and Russians wasn't stable, and after the Ottoman Empire attacked the Caucasus, the nation fell apart, with Georgia declaring its independence on May 26th, 1918. To secure their independence, they struck a defensive pact with the German Empire, which government representatives saw as the only way to secure their freedom from Ottoman invasion. This defensive pact was called the Treaty of Poti.
Controversy[]
The deal, although great for the Georgian Republic at first, had other conditions which Georgia had to meet, which were:
- Allowing Germany an unfettered use of Georgian railways to create an oil pipe from Azerbaijan as well as a free and unrestricted use of all ship available in Georgian ports.
- Open its border for German expeditionary forces under Friedrich Kress von Kressenstein for their occupation of multiple strategic points throughout the country.
- Free circulation of German currency in Georgia.
- The establishment of a joint German-Georgian mining corporation.
- The exchange of diplomatic and consular representatives.
This made Georgia a satellite of the German Empire, which led to massive controversy throughout the nation.
General opinion[]
The opinion is split between those who want the treaty to be renounced (mainly nationalists), seeing it as a scar on Georgia, while others see it as a necessary evil which must be kept to guarantee their independence from the Ottoman Empire, since the German Empire was keeping them at bay. There is no clear indication as to which idea will triumph in the end.