The Berlin Congress of 1878
The Berlin Congress of 1878 was an international diplomatic forum held in Berlin from June 13 to July 13, 1878.
It was convened to review the terms of the Treaty of San Stefano (March 1878) at the request of Austria-Hungary and England, with the support of Germany. The main participants were Russia, England, Austria-Hungary, and Germany. Furthermore, representatives from France, Italy, Turkey, Greece, Iran, Romania, Serbia, and Montenegro also attended the congress.
On July 13, 1878, the Berlin Treaty, consisting of 64 articles, was signed at the Congress. According to this international agreement, Northern Bulgaria was declared an autonomous state, while other Bulgarian-populated areas were formed into Southern Bulgaria (Eastern Rumelia), which remained under the Sultan's supervision with administrative autonomy. Bosnia and Herzegovina were transferred to Austria-Hungary, which was granted the right to occupy it. Serbia, Romania, and Montenegro gained independence.
The decisions of the Berlin Congress also impacted historical territories of Georgia: the Ottoman Empire ceded Kars, Ardahan, and Batumi to Russia, thus transferring a large portion of the former Samtskhe-Saatabago region (Adjara, Shavsheti, Klarjeti, Imerkhevi, Kola-Artaani, Oltisi) into Russian possession. The Ottomans regained the Alashkert Plain and the city of Beyazid, which was recognized as occupied by Russia under the San Stefano Treaty. According to the Berlin Treaty, Batumi was declared a free trade port (Porto Franco).
The treaty allowed the Muslim population to either remain as Russian subjects or emigrate to the Ottoman Empire. The period for migration was set from February 3, 1879, to February 3, 1882, and was later extended until 1884.
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P. Surguladze
