p The problem of relations between world socialism and the peoples of the former colonies and dependencies was first treated theoretically in the works of Lenin and received practical embodiment in the foreign policy of the young Soviet Republic.

p After the revolution of October 1917 the close interconnection between the development of socialist revolution and the national liberation struggle of the oppressed peoples of the East became particularly apparent and acquired important practical significance. Both these forces objectively acted as natural allies; their unity was dictated by common interests in the struggle against the common enemy— imperialism.

p Lenin often drew attention to the outstanding role of the Soviet state in the battle of the oppressed peoples against imperialism. He stressed that the “revolutionary movement of the peoples of the East can now develop effectively, can reach a successful issue, only in direct association with the revolutionary struggle of our Soviet Republic against international imperialism.”  [236•* 

p Basing his opinion on the community of the fundamental interests of the oppressed peoples of the East and the first socialist state in the world, Lenin formulated the tasks of its foreign policy: “Our Soviet Republic must now muster all the awakening peoples of the East and, together with them, wage a struggle against international imperialism.”  [236•** 

p The very first document of the Soviet state—the Decree on Peace—was objectively directed against the system of colonial domination. It defined annexation as “every incorporation of a small or weak nation into a large or powerful state without the precisely, clearly and voluntarily expressed consent and wish of that nation”; the Decree made the point that this definition referred not only to Europe but to “ distant, overseas countries”.  [236•*** 

p The Soviet Government resolutely broke with the predatory policy of tsarism and international imperialism, it ex- posed their predatory aims and called for a fight against them. The Appeal of the Soviet Government to all working Moslems of Russia and the East said: "It is not from Russia and its revolutionary Government that enslavement awaits you but from the European imperialist vultures, from those 237 who turned your native land into a ‘colony’ which they are plundering.”  [237•* 

p In the Soviet state, the peoples of the East for the first time in history saw a selfless friend and ally; for the first time in history the dependent countries received an opportunity to establish really equal relations with a big and powerful state.

p The principles of equal rights of nations, respect for their interests, non-intervention in internal affairs and selfless aid were expressed in the political policy of the Communist Party and Soviet Government both in the attitude to the oppressed peoples of the former tsarist empire and in relation to other peoples’of Asia, especially those on the southern borders of the Soviet Republic—Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Mongolia and China. In his instructions to S. I. Aralov, the Russian Federation’s Plenipotentiary in Turkey, Lenin said that “the main thing is to respect the people. Explain our position of selfless friendship, non-interference in the internal affairs of the country as opposed to the acquisitive and plundering policy of the imperialists. That is your job.”  [237•** 

p Soviet Russia’s unprecedented principles of relations between big and small countries were embodied in treaties and agreements signed with Turkey, Iran and Afghanistan in 1921, and with China in 1924.

p Georgi Chicherin described Soviet relations with countries of the East as “a friendly policy based on unity of interest, with completely mutual non-interference in internal affairs in all respects”. This policy, he said, “was dictated by our leader Vladimir Lenin and is being pursued according to the lines he laid down.”  [237•*** 

p The Soviet policy in relation to countries of the East was permeated with the spirit of revolutionary dialectics and a sober account of the specific social and political situation. Lenin often underlined the importance of distinguishing the 238 nationalism of the oppressed nation from that of the oppressor nation; he evaluated the national movement of oppressed countries from the point of view of its role in the overall struggle against imperialism, not in isolation but on a world scale.  [238•* 

p The establishment by the Soviet socialist state of friendly relations both with the Republic of Turkey and the monarchies of Iran and Afghanistan were a practical embodiment of Lenin’s revolutionary dialectics. Complete conformity of word and deed is a characteristic feature of the Leninist foreign policy. Slogans and declarations are invariably and consistently backed up by practical actions. In its relations with the countries of the East, the Soviet state not only declared complete equality of rights, but showed in practice its renunciation of all legal rights and privileges, ,of all property acquired as a result of the coercive and predatory imperialist policy of the tsarist government and the Russian bourgeoisie.

p Besides, despite its restricted resources and possibilities, the Soviet state gave direct material support, including arms deliveries and military specialists, for the national liberation struggle. Such support held a special place in the history of relations between the Soviet Republic and Turkey and China.

p Finally, the Soviet state consistently supported the interests of the oppressed nations of the East at international conferences and diplomatic negotiations. As an example, one may refer to the programme of Soviet diplomacy in the issue of the Black Sea Straits, the first point of which was, as Lenin put it, “the satisfaction of Turkey’s national aspirations”.  [238•** 

p Harish Kapur, Associate Professor of International Relations at the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva, has called Soviet policy towards the colonial world “revolutionary” and “straightforward”. “Such a policy,” he said, “was obviously free from all the confines and trappings of classical diplomacy....”  [238•*** 

p Soviet support for the national liberation aspirations of peoples of the East and the whole foreign policy of the Soviet state had an immense positive significance for these peoples. It brought them direct and noticeable material advantages and considerably facilitated the struggle in defence of their rights, for their emancipation from imperialism and for independence.

p The part played by socialism in the awakening of the East as an independent force in world politics was not confined to direct military-political support for national liberation movements, economic aid to the then small number of independent Eastern states, and diplomatic support for their interests internationally. The main thing was the very existence and strengthening of the socialist power, which signified a relative weakening of the positions of the imperialists and colonialists, a worsening of their international position. The influence of Soviet policy in relation to the peoples of the East far exceeded the framework of the directly interested states. It had a practical significance, as Lenin foresaw, “for the whole of Asia and for all the colonies of the world, for thousands and millions of people”.  [239•*  The friendly attitude to oppressed peoples and to colonies and dependencies, and the solidarity with their freedom struggle radically differed from the imperialist foreign policy and helped to spread the ideas of the October Revolution to all continents. The great Indian leader Nehru noted: “Almost contemporaneously with your October Revolution under the leadership of the great Lenin we in India started a new phase of our struggle for many years.... Even though we pursued a different path in our struggle under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi we admired Lenin and were influenced by his example.”  [239•** 

p Shortly before his death, Ho Chi Minh, leader of the Vietnamese people, gave an interview to the French newspaper L’Humanite underlining the contemporary importance of Lenin’s ideas for the national liberation movement. He said 240 that in the eyes of the peoples of the East, Lenin was more than a leader. He was a man of immense magnetic force. His contempt for luxury, the purity of his personal life, his simplicity and his noble heart attracted the people’s sincerest feelings and nothing could interfere with this attraction.

p The fundamentals of Soviet relations with countries of the East, laid down by Lenin immediately after the October Revolution, to a certain degree anticipated the far- reaching changes in international relations which took place as a result of the emergence on the international scene of the many new states of Asia, Africa and Latin America, and laid the foundation for the present-day anti-imperialist alliance between world socialism and the national liberation forces.

p Lenin’s -policy in relation to countries of the East which has been consistently pursued since the revolution is a model of a principled, profoundly revolutionary and far-sighted policy. At times the assistance given to newly developed countries involved material difficulties for the young Soviet state, but the policy of friendship and co-operation with the peoples of the East has brought it immense moral and political reward and has considerably strengthened its international position in the struggle against imperialism.

p This reward accumulated by the socialist state under Lenin’s direct leadership has continued to play an important part in international relations, despite every attempt by the imperialists to distort the essence of Soviet foreign policy, to place the Soviet Union on the same plane as the imperialist powers and to undermine its prestige in the countries of the East.

p The creative development of the Leninist principles of relations with the Eastern countries worked out at the 20th to 24th congresses of the CPSU and the consistent policy of all-round assistance to the national liberation forces fighting against imperialism have had immense international importance in the new historical situation conspicuous for the emergence of dozens of sovereign Afro-Asian countries.

p Lenin considered that “the colonial and other nations which are oppressed, or whose rights are restricted, must 241 be completely liberated and granted the right to secede”,  [241•*  and that this was a necessary prerequisite for bringing together the working people of all nations in revolutionary struggle. Nowadays, this aim is being implemented in the friendly relations between the Soviet Union and other socialist countries, on the one hand, and newly liberated states, on the other. Recent years have seen new successes of Soviet foreign policy in this sphere.

p Improved good-neighbourly relations with Afghanistan, Iran and Turkey, the establishment and development of friendly relations with India, Burma, Ceylon and, later, with Egypt and other Arab states and some African countries have conformed to the vital national interests of both sides and have had a considerable impact on international relations as a whole, helping to change the world balance of power in socialism’s favour.

p The part played by the Soviet Union as a power able to help the newly liberated national countries to defend their independence against imperialist aggressive actions, received fresh and convincing confirmation during the acute international crisis that arose in the Middle East in the summer of 1967. The Soviet Union resolutely upheld the just struggle of Arab nations against the criminal aggression launched by the Israeli military clique backed by US imperialist circles. The Soviet Government took the necessary measures both inside the United Nations and outside it to help the Arab nations to repulse the aggressor, protect their legitimate rights, to stamp out the source of war and to re-establish peace in the Middle East. New steps in that direction were the Soviet-Egyption and Soviet-Iraqi treaties of friendship and co-operation.

p The Treaty of Friendship and Go-operation concluded between the Soviet Union and India in Delhi on August 9, 1971, opens up prospects of further strengthening friendly and good-neighbourly relations.

p The existence of the world socialist system acquires increasing significance for the economic development of newly liberated states. The industrialisation and social progress of 242 Asian, African and Latin American countries are helped by the end put to the Western monopoly on trade with the economically underdeveloped states (including arms deliveries), the opportunity to receive, from socialist states, credits, industrial plant and scientific and technological co-operation without the invidious conditions imposed by the capitalist states. The dozens of important economic projects built with Soviet assistance in developing countries, in particular, the Bhilai Iron and Steel Works in India and the Aswan High Dam in Egypt have become symbols of the growing co-operation between the Soviet Union and these countries. The Soviet-Egyptian declaration on the completion and commissioning of the Aswan hydropower complex stated that “Aswan has become a genuine model of healthy and equal relations between states, a vivid proof that young developing countries can attain great success in strengthening their political and economic independence in alliance with the forces of socialism.”  [242•* 

p The Soviet achievements in every sphere of life and the Soviet experience and example help to spread progressive ideas and Marxist-Leninist ideology, especially in countries setting out on a non-capitalist path of development. The world today brings fresh confirmation of the vitality of Lenin’s ideas concerning the opportunity for non-capitalist development of the peoples of the East. Back in 1920, Lenin said: “If the victorious revolutionary proletariat conducts systematic propaganda among them, and the Soviet governments come to their aid with all the means at their disposal— in that event it will be mistaken to assume that the backward peoples must inevitably go through the capitalist stage of development.”  [242•** 

p Reliance on the socialist states is a prerequisite for successful development of the national liberation revolution, the strengthening of political awareness and purposiveness, and the enhanced role of oppressed peoples in deciding not only their own destiny, but, in prospect, world affairs as a whole.

p In their turn, the young countries often act as allies of the 243 forces of socialism in international relations, and as vigorous opponents of world imperialist reaction. On more than one occasion, the imperialists have had to yield in the face of the united forces of socialism and national liberation. While earlier the colonial and dependent countries constituted an important reserve for imperialism, a reserve widely used in the struggle against anti-imperialist forces, today the peoples of these countries have become, as Lenin foresaw, a major reserve and ally of the international proletariat and world socialism in the fight against imperialism. “The national states,” the Programme of the CPSU says, “become ever more active as an independent force on the world scene; objectively, this force is in the main a progressive, revolutionary and anti-imperialist force.”  [243•* 

p The objective interests and requirements of the people campaigning for complete national liberation and social progress lie on the side of socialism and its foreign policy, despite the diversions and vacillations in the policy of individual newly liberated countries.

p The Leninist policy of supporting liberation revolutionary movements and all-round solidarity and co-operation with independent countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America accords with the interests of the Soviet people just as much as with the interests of the many millions of people in developing countries.

The 24th Congress of the CPSU reaffirmed the unswerving loyalty to the Leninist principle of solidarity with peoples fighting for national and social emancipation and it underlined the special importance of extending co-operation with countries of a socialist orientation.