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On that evening the Seim assembled to confirm the proposed cabinet. The embarrassed Armenian members heard their names presented for approval. The historian who is unaware of what had transpired during the preceding three days might be deceived by the apparent unity in the Seim. The three great fractions joined to voice their approbation of the new government, which included four Georgians, five Moslems, and four Armenians. Almost to be expected was the fact that the Armenians ran a poor third in securing strategic and influential posts. The portfolios were distributed as follows: 41
| Akaky Chkhenkeli |
Premier and Foreign Affairs |
| Noi Ramishvili |
Internal Affairs |
| Noi Khomeriki |
Agriculture |
| Grigory Georgadze |
War |
| &nbps; |
|
| Fathali Khan Khoisky |
Justice |
| Khudadad Melik Aslanov |
Transportation |
| Nesib Usubbekov |
Enlightenment |
| Mahmed Hajinsky |
Trade and Industry |
| Ibrahim Haidarov |
State Control |
| |
|
| Alexndre Khatisian |
Finance |
| Hovhannes Kachaznouni |
Welfare |
| Avetik Sahakian |
Provisions |
| Aramayis Erzinkian |
Labour |
In his inaugural address, Chkhenkeli promised to guarantee the equality of all Transcaucasian citizens and to establish provincial boundaries within the Republic on the basis of mutual agreement and concessions. With obvious reference to the Baku Sovnarkom, he denounced dual government in Transcaucasia. To the applause of all except Dashnakists and Social Revolutionaries, Rasul-Zade stood solidly with Chkhenkeli. It was imperative that all Transcaucasia be welded into a single entity, with the neighbouring district of Daghestan being invited to join the Federation. 42 According to Armenian interpretation, what Rasul-Zade was advocating was the establishment of Moslem control in Baku and the strengthening of the Moslem plurality of Transcaucasia by the incorporation of the Mountaineers of Daghestan. Khatchatour Karjikian, as chairman of the fraction Dashnaktsoutiun, pledged support to Chkhenkeli's government but could not refrain from adding several remarks that echoed Tumanov's sizzling speech of four days earlier. He asked the Seim to recognise that the declaration of independence had been instigated under foreign pressure and that much of the public was unenthused and sceptical. Yet the crisis could be surmounted if the government inspired faith and loyalty by concluding an honourable peace and by appealing justice equally to all sections of Transcaucasia. 43
The polite remarks in the Seim did not satisfy the populace of Tiflis. The mobs continued to hurl insults at the traitorous government. On May 5, in an attempt to mollify the crowds, Chkhenkeli published a detailed report outlining the reasons for the fall of Kars. Included in the document were the opinions of military experts who testified that the fortress would have been unable to withstand an enemy assault. 44 The claim was unconvincing, however, for the public also knew of Nazarbekian's report to Tiflis that Kars could hold firm for at least a month and of Kars oblast Commissar Dsamoev's wire that the populace, prepared for a resolute defence, had been driven to panic by Chkhenkeli's order to evacuate. It was this order that led to the disastrous exodus and to the destruction of much of the city. 45
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41) "Velikaia Oktiabr'skaia sotsialisticheskaia revoliutsiia: Dokumenty i materialy", ed. by A. L. Sidorov, et al. II (Moscow, 1963), p. 229; Al. Khatisian, "Hayastani Hanrapetoutian tzagoumn ou zargatsoume" [The Creation and Development of the Republic of Armenia] (Athens, 1930), p. 45. Since Erzinkian was a Social Democrat, the Mensheviks had five posts, the Musavat-Moslems, five, and the Dashnakists, three.
42) "Velikaia Oktiabr'skaia sotsialisticheskaia revoliutsiia: Dokumenty i materialy", ed. by A. L. Sidorov, et al. II (Moscow, 1963), pp. 229-233.
43) "Velikaia Oktiabr'skaia sotsialisticheskaia revoliutsiia: Dokumenty i materialy", ed. by A. L. Sidorov, et al. II (Moscow, 1963), pp. 240-241; Al. Khatisian, "Hayastani Hanrapetoutian tzagoumn ou zargatsoume" [The Creation and Development of the Republic of Armenia] (Athens, 1930), pp. 45-47.
44) "Velikaia Oktiabr'skaia sotsialisticheskaia revoliutsiia: Dokumenty i materialy", ed. by A. L. Sidorov, et al. II (Moscow, 1963), pp. 261-267.
45) Al. Stavrovskii, "Zakavkaz'e posle Oktiabria" (Moscow-Leningrad, [1925]), p. 59; S. T. Arkomed, "Materialy po istorii otpadeniia Zakavkaz'ia ot Rossi" (Tbilisi, 1923), p. 70.
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