Treaty between the USSR and the Italian Republic
it can contact the other side so that bilateral consultations are
held between them urgently.
Article 7. The USSR and Italy confirm the principles of non-
aggression as a first principle of the relations between them and
all other states.
In the case of one of the sides becoming the object of unpro-
voked aggression, the other side without prejudice to its obliga-
tions, which somehow or other result from its participation in
existing treaties of alliance and from the relations which follow
on from these, will not give the aggressor any military or other
assistance. Both sides also state that they will resort to the mech-
anism of the UN or to other security structures for the settling
of conflicts.
Article 8. The USSR and Italy, on the basis of the bilateral
protocol of 1972, will give a broader and more regular character
to their consultations.
Meetings at the highest level will take place at least once a
year, and also, every time that both sides consider it necessary.
The Ministers of Foreign Affairs will meet no less than twice a
year. Periodic meetings of the Ministers of Defence will take
place. There will be consultations between other members of
government on issues of mutual interest in accordance with the
necessity for them.
With the aim of easing direct contacts a communications
line will be set up between the departments of the USSR Presi-
dent and the chairman of the Italian Council of Ministers
(“Kremlin - Palazzo Chigi”)
Working groups which will meet on a regular basis will be set
up for the examination of international problems or specific
issues of bilateral relations.
Article 9. The sides pledge to maintain and develop a broad
dialogue between the Soviet and Italian peoples, taking into
account the historical and contemporary development of the
two countries, the distinctive features of their cultures and also
public opinion. This dialogue will be held in a spirit of mutual
understanding and friendship, respect for the national charac-
ter, customs, diverse religious and other special features and
also the originality of the Soviet and Italian peoples.
Special attention will be paid to developing inter-parliamen-
tary ties and contacts between other elected bodies of power in
the two countries.
Article 10. The sides consider it important to develop con-
tacts and exchanges on military policy. In this context they
envisage visits by military delegations, including high-level del-
egations, and a periodical exchange of opinions and informa-
tion on their military doctrines.
Article 11. The sides pledge to expand and deepen economic,
industrial, financial, scientific and technical and ecological co-
operation. They are agreed that the conditions exist to achieve a
qualitatively new level of economic co-operation.
They acknowledge the importance of this co-operation both
from the point of view of implementing the programme of eco-
nomic reforms in the Soviet Union and from that of the contri-
bution which the USSR and Italy will be able to make to
establishing a new international economic order. They note the
fundamental role of the European Community in creating a
single economic zone on the scale of the continent of Europe
and also the great significance of international economic and
financial organisations for the balanced development of the
world economy.
Article 12. The sides will promote the development and
deepening of relations between the Soviet Union and the Euro-
pean Community.
Article 13. The sides pledge to intensify the implementation
of agreements which they have concluded in the spheres listed
in Article 11 of this treaty, especially that of the long term pro-
gramme for developing economic, industrial and technical co-
operation up to the year 2000, the programme for deepening
co-operation in the field of science and technology and also all
other current economic agreements.
The intergovernmental joint commissions for economic, sci-
entific and technical co-operation between the USSR and Italy
and their working bodies are called upon to further the
strengthening of this co- operation within the framework of
their competence. Other permanent or ad hoc bodies may be
set up where necessary with the sides’ mutual agreement.
Article 14. The sides will actively co-operate in the sphere of
the conversion of the defence industry, on the basis of the joint
intergovernmental statement of 30th November 1989. Taking
into account the positive changes in the situation in Europe,
they will strive towards the conclusion of separate agreements
on conversion, in particular, in the sphere of power-engineering
and the production of industrial and consumer goods and
foodstuffs.
Article 15. The sides undertake to mutually provide for com-
mercial, industrial and financial activities a regime which is no
less favourable than that provided for third countries. Within
this framework encouragement will be given to the establish-
ment of industrial-economic free enterprise zones, and simi-
larly, an even wider economic integration within Europe.
They will promote the setting up of joint enterprises, includ-
ing those in which partners from third countries will partici-
pate, in the harmonisation of legal standards in the economic
sphere, and in the joint training of cadres, including managers.
Article 16. The sides are giving priority to the co-operation
in the areas of energy, transport and telecommunications. They
shall speed up the joint development of the technical aspects of
the industrial activity in these areas, primarily bearing in mind
the energy saving and modernisation of the infrastructure. The
sides will make efforts to establish the organic co-operation in
these areas at the European level and will encourage co-opera-
tion between organisations and enterprises of the two coun-
tries.
Article 17. The sides will give new impulse to their co-opera-
tion in the area of science and advanced technology, including
space research, on the basis of the already agreed programmes
and will also determine the new directions of priority in the
area of scientific research and technological modernisation.