Kavtaradze, Sergey Ivanovich

Active participant of revolutionary movement in Georgia and Russia, statesman.

Born August 15, 1885, in the village of Zovreti (now Zestafoni County, Georgia), in a family of a nobleman. Member of Communist Party since 1903. Worked for the Party in Kutaisi, Batumi, Tbilisi, Baku, and St. Petersburg. In 1904-1906, was a member of Imeretin-Mingreli Committee of RSDRP (Russian Social Democrat Worker Party). Was repressed. In 1912-1914, was an employee of Pravda newspaper. In 1915, graduated from Law Faculty of St. Petersburg University. After the 1917 February Revolution, was elected a member of Caucasian Regional Committee of RSDRP and an editor of Kavkazsky Rabochy (Caucasian Worker) newspaper. Was a delegate at the Sixth Congress of RSDRP(b). In 1918, was the chairman of Executive Committee of Vladikavkaz Council. Since 1919, was a party activist in Menshevik-governed Georgia; was repeatedly arrested; worked in RSFSR's representation to Menshevik Georgia until the establishment of soviet power in Georgia (February 1921). Until May 1921, was a chairman of Batumi and Ajarian revolutionary committees, later the deputy chairman of Georgia's Revolutionary Committee, a People's Commissar of Justice; in 1922-1923, was a chairman of People's Commissars Council of Georgian SSR (Soviet Socialist Republic). In 1923-1924, was a counselor of Soviet Embassy in Ankara. In 1924-1928, was the first deputy prosecutor of Supreme Court of USSR.

For participation in Trotsky's opposition, was expelled from the Party in 1927. In December 1927, was exiled to Orenburg Region for participation in the opposition. A year later, in December 1928, attempted to arrive in Moscow for a vacation, but was soon arrested at the charges of "anti-Soviet propaganda". On January 25, 1929, a final sentence was carried out in S.I. Kavtaradze's case: three years of imprisonment. Served his term in Tobolsk. Upon discharge from prison in 1931, started working in a fiction publishing house. Continued opposition activities. On October 1936, Kavtaradze was rearrested according to the warrant No. 8633 (vol. 2, article 8) and placed in Lubyanka internal prison of OGPU. Again the case No. 7982, vol. 2. Charged with articles 58/10 and 58/11 of the Criminal Code - counter-revolutionary activities.

Later, was transferred to a jail in Tbilisi. On February 20, 1939, was transferred to Moscow, to the internal prison of NKVD. On December 13, 1939, was discharged from prison at L.P. Beria's personal order. Upon discharge, restarted working in fiction publishing house. In 1940, was reinstated in VKP(b) (All-Russian Communist Party of Bolsheviks). Starting 1941, S.I. Kavtaradze was the head of the Middle East department of Commissariat of Foreign Affairs of USSR. In 1943-1945, was a deputy Commissar of Foreign Affairs of USSR. Participated in the work of Moscow meeting (1943), Yalta, and Potsdam Conferences. In 1945-1952, was USSR's ambassador to Romania. Retired in 1954. In 1961, was elected a delegate of 22nd Congress of KPSS (Communist Party of the Soviet Union). Died in Tbilisi on October 17, 1971.