Treaty between the Syrian Arab Republic and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
way, directly or indirectly, endanger peace and security in
the Republic of Malta;
(c) Not to take any part in any act of such nature;
(d) Not to induce the Republic of Malta to enter into a mili-
tary alliance, or to sign an agreement of this kind, or to
accept the protection of a military alliance;- Invites all other States to recognize and respect the sover-
eignty, independence, neutrality, unity and territorial integrity
of the Republic of Malta, to act in conformity therewith in all
respects, and to refrain from taking any action which is incom-
patible with those principles; - Undertakes to consult, at the request of the Government
of the Republic of Malta or of the Government of a neighbour-
ing Mediterranean State making a like Declaration as the pres-
ent one, with the Government of the Republic of Malta and of
the other States aforesaid whenever one of them declares that
there exists a threat of violation or a violation of the sover-
eignty, independence, neutrality, unity and territorial integrity
of the Republic of Malta;
5.1. Without prejudice to the application of Article 35 of the
Charter of the United Nations, undertakes that, on the happen-
ing of any of the events mentioned in paragraph 2(b) of the
Maltese Declaration, the situation will be brought to the atten-
tion of, or referred to, the Security Council;
5.2. It further undertakes that, at the request of the Republic
of Malta and after consulting the aforementioned States, it will,
in any of the events and under the conditions of the preceding
paragraph 4 of the Italian Declaration, or should the need arise
for the exercise of the right of self-defence in the circumstances
set out in Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, adopt
any other measure, not excluding military assistance, it will con-
sider necessary to meet the situation; - Reserves the right, if it considers that changes have taken
place which alter substantially the neutrality of the Republic of
Malta as envisaged in the Declaration of the Government of the
Republic of Malta reproduced above, to request that consulta-
tions take place between it and the Governments of the Repub-
lic of Malta and of other neighbouring Mediterranean States
making a like declaration as the present, and if, following such
consultations, it considers that the maintenance of the neutral-
ity of Malta is not ensured, it may decide to cease to be bound
by the present Declaration. Any such decision will be communi-
cated to the Republic of Malta and other interested States.
4.1419 Treaty of Friendship and Co-operation
between the Syrian Arab Republic and the
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
Alliance Members:Syria and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
Signed On:October 8, 1980, in the city of Moscow. In force as of date
of publication of this volume.
Alliance Type:Entente (Type III)
Source:United Nations Treaty,no. 19728.
SUMMARY
Syrian co-operation with the Soviet Union and Russia in the military
and technology sectors began as early as 1956, and in 1974 General
Secretary Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union made a commitment
to President Hafez al-Assad of Syria to defend Syria against foreign
aggression. The two sides formalized their alliance in October 1980
with the signing of this treaty of friendship and cooperation. The
treaty calls for joint consultation and actions in response to regional
security threats.
The Soviets became a major source of military aid to Syria. Between
1980 and 1991 the Soviet Union delivered more than $26 billion
worth of military equipment to Syria, and by 1998, nearly 90 percent
of Syrian military equipment was Soviet made.
The collapse of the Soviet Union did not fundamentally alter the rela-
tionship between Syria and Russia, the largest successor state to the
USSR. Starting in 1996, President Boris Yeltsin of Russia expressed a
willingness to cooperate militarily, and Russia began supplying Syria
with training and consulting services from Russian military experts
again. In exchange, the Syrians allowed Russia to use Tartus harbor as
a base in the Mediterranean.Alliance Text
The Syrian Arab Republic and the Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics,
Inspired by the desire to strengthen and develop the relations
of friendship and all-round co-operation existing between
them in the interests of the peoples of the two States, the cause
of peace and security throughout the world, the consolidation
of international détente and the development of peaceful coop-
eration among States,
Determined to deal a strong rebuff to the policy of aggres-
sion pursued by imperialism and its accomplices, to continue
the struggle against colonialism, neo-colonialism and racism in
all their forms and manifestations, including zionism, and to
support national independence and social progress,
Attaching particular importance to the continuation of co-
operation between the two countries aimed at establishing a
just and durable peace in the Middle East,
Reaffirming their loyalty to the purposes and principles of
the Charter of the United Nations, including the principles of
respect for sovereignty, national independence, territorial
integrity and non-intervention in internal affairs,
Have decided to conclude this Treaty and have agreed as fol-
lows:
Article 1. The High Contracting Parties declare their deter-
mination steadily to develop and strengthen friendship and co-
operation between the two States and peoples in the political,
economic, military, scientific, technical, cultural and other fields
on the basis of the principles of equal rights, mutual benefit,
respect for sovereignty, national independence, territorial
integrity and non-intervention in each other’s internal affairs.
Article 2. The High Contracting Parties shall contribute in
every way possible to the strengthening of international peace
and the security of peoples, the reduction of international ten-
sion and its embodiment in specific forms of co-operation