p On 1 November 1954 a national liberation struggle began in Algeria. The Algerian patriots were inspired by the successes of the national liberation movements in Egypt, Syria, Morocco and other Arab countries which made the disintegration of the colonial system of imperialism more profound. The USSR, like other socialist countries, was on the side of the Algerian people from the very outset of ’ their struggle. It sent consignments of weapons, ammunition and military equipment to the Algerian National Liberation Army, and food, medicine and clothes for refugees from war-ravaged regions.

p The Soviet Government backed the proposal of a group j of Asian and African countries to have the Algerian question ! included in the agenda of the Tenth Session of the UN General Assembly. At a plenary meeting of the Session, the Soviet representative said: "We consider that the United , Nations cannot ignore events in Algeria. It is the General Assembly’s duty to consider the Algerian question in order to bring about, in accordance with the principles of the I United Nations Charter, a peaceful settlement in keeping with the interests of all concerned, and, first and foremost, with the legitimate rights and national interests of the Algerian peoples.”  [88•18 

p At the end of 1956 the UN once again took up the Algerian question. The colonial powers were forced to give in and agree to have it discussed. In its resolution of 15 February 1957, the llth UN General Assembly Session recognised that the situation in Algeria was "causing much suffering and loss of human lives" and expressed the hope that "a peaceful, democratic and just solution will be found, through appropriate means, in conformity with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations".  [89•19  In many respects such a resolute decision was passed as a result of the efforts of the Soviet representatives who insisted on the termination of military operations by the French Government, on recognition of the national existence of the Algerian people and on granting them independence. The Soviet Union maintained this stand in the following years. In a special statement on 15 December 1960, TASS said: "The Soviet people whose sympathies are invariably with peoples fighting for freedom and national independence, including the heroic people of Algeria, resolutely condemn the crimes which are committed against the people of Algeria and demand that the killings of Algerian patriots should be stopped.”  [89•20 

p Addressing the First Committee of the 15th General Assembly Session on 13 December 1960, the head of the Soviet delegation condemned the crimes of the French colonialists in Algeria. He emphasised that the "slaughter in Algeria was a monstrous anachronism in our time when humanity faced the noble and responsible task of strengthening world peace and of ensuring freedom and independence for all colonial and dependent peoples”, and pointed out that responsibility for the inhuman acts in Algeria rested with France and its NATO partners.

p On 15 December 1960, after an eight-day debate, the First Committee approved by a majority vote a resolution submitted by 24 Asian and African countries. The operative paragraph of the resolution supported by the Soviet delegation said: "The Assembly would decide that a referendum should be conducted in Algeria, organised, controlled and supervised by the United Nations whereby the Algerian 90 people would freely determine the destiny of their entire country.”  [90•21  But France, which participated neither in the debates on the Algerian question nor in the voting, with the help of its partners contrived at the Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly to have the paragraph on a UNcontrolled referendum in Algeria excluded from the resolution.

p The Soviet Union, other socialist countries and AfroAsian states voted in favour of the resolution as a whole inasmuch as it recognised the right of the Algerian people to self-determination and independence, and also the need for effective UN guarantees that this right would be observed on the basis of Algeria’s unity and territorial integrity. The resolution was adopted by the majority of the UN members.

p It is important to note that in many respects this resolution was adopted because the Algerian Provisional Government had been recognised by a number of Asian and African states and by the USSR which recognised it de facto in October 1960.

p The Soviet Union consistently and indefatigably exposed the policy of the colonialists, thus mobilising world public opinion for the defence of the just cause of the Algerian people. The continued policy of violence and support for ultra-reactionary and military extremist organisations of the OAS type damaged France’s prestige. Seeing that it was impossible to keep the Algerian people under the heel of colonialism, on 18 March 1962 the French Government signed the Evian Agreements which put an end to the colonial war in Algeria and recognised the right of its people to self-determination and territorial integrity. On the next day, 19 March, the Soviet Union recognised the Provisional Government of Algeria de jure and said that it was prepared to establish diplomatic relations with it. These relations were set up the same year. (France officially recognised Algeria’s independence on 3 July 1962.)

p Immediately upon winning independence the Algerian Republic asked the USSR to send sappers to deactivate more than a million and a half mines. As a result several thousand hectares of fertile land became cultivable again.

p The Soviet Union backed up its political support for independent Algeria with economic assistance. In 1963 a 91 Soviet-Algerian agreement was signed which provided for economic and technical cooperation in implementing national economic development plans in the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria.

p In July 1968 the Algerian El-Moudjahid carried an article on cooperation with the USSR which said in part: "The diversity of fields of Soviet-Algerian cooperation and their broader exchanges attest to the beneficial and fruitful nature of this cooperation and to extensive opportunities for further development.... Such a satisfactory situation is not accidental. In the first place it is due to the fact that Algerian-Soviet cooperation rests on the sound principles of mutual respect, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs and parity, all of which is an expressio’n of true friendship.”  [91•22 

p In 1967 the USSR-Algeria Friendship Society was set up in the USSR. In a speech on this occasion the head of the Algerian delegation observed that the USSR-Algeria society which had been founded in the USSR and also the Association of Algerian-Soviet Friendship which would shortly be set up in Algeria were called upon to broaden scientific and cultural ties and further mutual understanding between the two peoples. All this inspired the Algerian people, which were advancing along the non-capitalist road, to make fresh gains in social and economic progress.

p A serious role in further strengthening Soviet-Algerian relations was played by the visit to Algeria in October 1971 of Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin. The Joint Soviet-Algerian Communique noted that "both sides expressed their satisfaction with the state of friendship and all-round cooperation between the Soviet Union and Algeria, which are based on trust, respect for the principles of independence, equality, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs and mutual benefit”. They expressed their conviction that further development of these relations was vital for the peoples of the USSR and Algeria and helped to strengthen world peace and security.  [91•23 

p The Soviet and Algerian peoples and the progressive Arab public welcomed the development of Soviet-Algerian relations. These steps showed that the policy of the CPSU 92 and Soviet Government was aimed at strengthening the antiimperialist unity of peoples, international cooperation and world peace.

p The friendly Soviet-Algerian relations stimulate Algeria’s development and are conducive to the further deepening of the social revolution in that Arab state. In their message on the occasion of the 13th anniversary of Algeria’s independence the CPSU and Soviet Government wished the friendly Algerian people further headway along their socialist road, and expressed confidence that the traditional friendship and cooperation between the Soviet Union and Algeria would continue to strengthen and develop for the benefit of the peoples of both countries, in the interests of the struggle for universal peace, international security and social progress.  [92•24 

Another milestone on the way to further strengthening the friendly relations between Algeria and the USSR was the visit to the Soviet Union in January 1978 of the President of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, Chairman of the Revolutionary Council Houari Boumedienne. Speaking at a dinner given in his honour by the Central Committee of the CPSU, the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Soviet and the USSR Government, he mentioned the durability of relations between the two countries and their friendship which, he pointed out, would keep developing and strengthening. He said: "The Soviet Union, and we say this for all to hear, has done a great deal for the Arabs. And we sons of the Arab nation will never forget this stand of the Soviet Union.... Algerians know that the Soviet Union will always be a friend of the Arabs.”  [92•25