The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic had high hopes for the Paris Peace Conference, as well as the newly created independent national states on the territory of the collapsed Russian Empire, in terms of recognition by the states of the world, becoming an equal member of the international associations, ensuring the independence of the republic, its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
 
During negotiations with the commander of the allied forces in the Caucasus, General V. Thomson, representatives of the Azerbaijani government received a guarantee of Azerbaijan's participation in the international peace conference. This was confirmed in his statements by the official representative of the British government, General George Milne, who arrived in Baku. General Thomson notified the government of Azerbaijan in writing that all disputed territorial issues would be resolved at a peace conference.
       
With that end in view, the first step of the new Azerbaijani government, which was organized on December 26, 1918, was to determine the composition and status of the delegation sent to the Paris Peace Conference on December 28. Alimardan bey Topchubashov, speaker of the Azerbaijani parliament, was appointed head of the delegation at the peace conference, and Mammad Hasan Hajinsky was appointed his deputy. The delegation included two deputies - Akhmed Agayev and Akbar Aga Sheikhulislamov. The advisors were appointed as Mir Yagub Mehdiyev, Jeyhun Hajibeyli and Mohammed Maharramov.

In December 1919, the Azerbaijani diplomatic mission in Versailles, headed by Alimardan-bek Topchubashov, prepared a memorandum on the admission of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic to the League of Nations and submitted it to the secretariat of the society. The issue of Azerbaijan was discussed by the third commission of the League of Nations. Due to the fact that the South Caucasian republics were not recognized de jure on the terms established by the commission, and the territorial issues between them were unstable, the issue of their admission to the League of Nations was temporarily suspended. But in the early 1920s, the situation associated with the Bolshevik threat in the Caucasus made it urgent to recognize the independence of Azerbaijan and Georgia. With that end in view, on the initiative of Great Britain, on January 10, 1920, a session of the Supreme Council of the Paris Peace Conference was convened. The Allied Supreme Council took the decision on 11 January at the suggestion of British Foreign Secretary Lord Curzon. The decision stated that "the allied countries jointly recognize the governments of Azerbaijan and Georgia at the de facto level". Japan joined this decision adopted by the Supreme Council on February 7th. The US officially refused to join this decision. On January 15, 1920, representatives of Azerbaijan and Georgia were invited to the French Foreign Ministry. The official decision of the Paris Peace Conference on the actual recognition of Azerbaijan was presented to Alimardan-bey Topchubashov. On January 15-16, in Versailles, at the council of military experts, the issue of providing military assistance to Azerbaijan and Georgia was discussed. On January 19, at a meeting of the Supreme Council of the Paris Peace Conference, the question of the republics of the South Caucasus was discussed in detail. Representatives of Azerbaijan participated in this meeting in full force. After a lengthy discussion, the Supreme Council adopted a decision on the Caucasian issue. The decision stated that the allied governments could not send an army to the republics of the South Caucasus, they would provide assistance to these republics by sending weapons, ammunition and food.

The British representative in the Caucasus O. Wardrop informed the government of Azerbaijan about the actual recognition of Azerbaijan's independence. As soon as the telegram sent by him from Tbilisi on January 12 was received, an emergency meeting of the government of Azerbaijan was convened. On January 13, government information about this important event was made public, and January 14 was declared a day off throughout Azerbaijan. It was decided to hold rallies and demonstrations in the capital, a military parade of the Azerbaijani army and a solemn meeting of the parliament of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. On January 14, the appeal of the Prime Minister Nasib bey Yusifbeyli to the "citizens of Azerbaijan" was announced.

Diplomatic representatives of Great Britain, Georgia, Estonia and Poland took part in the solemn meeting of the parliament, which took place on January 14. Congratulatory speeches and congratulatory telegrams were heard in connection with the recognition of independence. At the end of the meeting, Minister of Justice Khalil bey Khasmammadov read out the government's decision to declare an amnesty in connection with the recognition of Azerbaijan's independence. On behalf of the Supreme Council of the city of Ganja, events were solemnly held in honor of the recognition of the independence of Azerbaijan. Many articles have been published on this occasion in the Azerbaijani press. The 12th issue of the newspaper "Azerbaijan" dated January 24, 1920, which published news and materials related to the recognition of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in the international world, was published under the name "Independent Azerbaijan". The Bolshevik press regarded the recognition of the independence of Azerbaijan as usurping plans of the imperialist states. Information sent by representatives of Azerbaijan from Paris about the actual recognition of independence was received on January 18.

The recognition of the de facto independence of Azerbaijan by the Supreme Council of the Entente was a very important event in terms of the restoration of Azerbaijani statehood, as well as the result of the successful work of Azerbaijani diplomacy, especially Alimardan bey Topchubashov and the Azerbaijani delegation at the Paris Peace Conference.

The recognition of independence stimulated the growth of interest to  Azerbaijan in the international world.

Recommended literature:

1. Azərbaycan Xalq Cümhuriyyəti Ensiklopediyası : 2 cilddə / red. heyəti Y. M. Mahmudov [et al.] ; baş red. Y. M. Mahmudov. II cild. - Bakı : Lider nəşriyyat, 2005. - 472 s. \
2. Hacıyev, Fərhad. Əlimərdan bəy Topçubaşov: monoqrafiya / F. Hacıyev; AMEA Fəlsəfə İnstitutu.- Bakı: Şərq-Qərb, 2018.- 168 s.
3. Azərbaycan Paris Sülh Konfransında: 1919-1920 / tərc., tərt. V. M. Quliyev.- Bakı: Ozan, 2008.- 244 s.
4. Topçubaşov, Əlimərdan bəy Ələkbər oğlu. Paris məktubları: Azərbaycan Xalq Cümhuriyyəti Sülh Nümayəndə Hey'əti sədrinin Azərbaycan Hökumətinə mə'lumatları: mart 1919- noyabr 1919 / Ə. Topçubaşov; tərc., tərt. V. Quliyev, red. Ə. Həsənov.- Bakı: Azərnəşr, 1998.- 119 s.
5. Topçubaşı, Əlimərdan bəy Ələkbər oğlu. Azərbaycan Cümhuriyyətinin yaradılması / Ə. Ə. Topçubaşı.- Bakı: Təknur, 2013.- 55 s.