Урянхайский вопрос и монголо-тувинские отношения в начале ХХ в.

Abstract

The paper discusses a transformation of views of Mongolia’s authorities upon Tuva’s status (Uriankhai) after the 1911 proclamation of independence of Mongolia in the context of relations between Mongolia, Tuva and Russia. The lack of legal fixation of the Uriankhai issue’s solution by the Russian Empire and Mongolia created uncertainty and laid a basis for further territorial disputes. During the period of monarchy in Mongolia (1911–1921), Mongolian authorities considered Tuva to be a part of Mongolia proceeding from the fact that under the Qing rule the Uriankhai region had been subordinate to the authorities of Western Mongolia. Tuva itself displayed quite a spectrum of opinions regarding its new status, the prevailing being that of independence from both Mongolia and Russia, while very few were inclined towards China. Taking advantage of this uncertainty, the Republic of China attempted to ‘return’ Outer Mongolia together with Uriankhai to their control laying ‘hereditary’ claim to all territories of the collapsed Qing Empire which had once included China itself, Mongolia, and Uriankhai. The failure of these attempts resulted from the liberation of Outer Mongolia by Baron R. F. Ungern (1886–1921), and a subsequent establishment of the Soviet influence over Mongolia and Tuva. During the direct aftermath of the Mongolian People’s Party’s rise to power in the summer of 1921, the main trend of the Mongolian policy towards Tuva remained the same as it had been before the Mongolian Revolution, but there emerged more and more statements regarding self-determination of the people of Tuva. Inside the latter ― even after the People’s Revolutionary Party of Tuva came to power ― two main trends took shape, namely: a trend towards independence and that of joining Mongolia. The key arguments of those who supported the latter position were similarity of Tuva and Mongolia’s peoples in terms of their historical backgrounds, customs, religion, writing system, etc. The course towards Tuva’s independence together with pro-communist ideas supported by its government resulted in rebellions of 1923 and 1924 that were successfully quelled by the then Tuvan authorities with the assistance of Soviet Russia and pro-Soviet Mongolia. The official recognition of Tuva’s independence by the Mongolian People’s Republic ― under a direct influence of the Soviets ― also meant a legal fixation of Mongolia’s northern borderline. The article also provides a number of previously unpublished documents.