Modern History Sourcebook:
Soviet Statement:
Friendship and Co-operation Between the Soviet Union and Other Socialist States, October
30, 1956
The principles of peaceful coexistence, friendship, and cooperation among all states
have always been and still form the unshakable foundation of the foreign relations of the
U.S.S.R. This policy finds its most profound and consistent expression in the relationship
with socialist countries. United by the common ideal of building a socialist society and
the principles of proletarian internationalism, the countries of the great commonwealth of
socialist nations can build their relations only on the principle of full equality,
respect of territorial integrity, state independence and sovereignty, and noninterference
in one another's domestic affairs.This does not exclude, but on the contrary presupposes, close fraternal cooperation and
mutual aid between the countries of the socialist commonwealth in the economic, political,
and cultural spheres. It is on this basis that after World War 11 and after the rout of
fascism the regimes of the people's democracies came into being in a number of countries
of Europe and Asia, which were strengthened and display great vitality.In the process of the establishment of the new regime and the deep revolutionary
transformation in social relations there were not a few difficulties, unsolved problems,
and out-and-out mistakes, including some in the relations between the socialist
states-violations and mistakes which infringed the principles of equality in relations
between socialist states.The 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union resolutely condemned these
mistakes and violations and demanded that the Soviet Union apply Lenin's principles of the
equality of nations in its relations with other socialist states. This statement took
complete cognizance of the historical past and the peculiarities of each country which has
taken the road of building a new life. . . .As recent events have shown, the need has arisen for an appropriate declaration to be
made on the position of the Soviet Union in the mutual relations between the U.S.S.R. and
other socialist countries, primarily in the economic and military spheres. The Soviet
Government is ready to discuss with the governments of other socialist states measures
insuring the further development and strengthening of economic ties between socialist
countries, in order to remove any possibilities of violating the principle of national
sovereignty, mutual advantage, and equality in economic relations.This principle should extend also to advisers. It is common knowledge that during the
first period of the formation of the new social order, at the request of the governments
of the people's democracies, the Soviet Union sent to these countries a certain number of
specialists-engineers, agronomists, scientific workers, and military advisers. During the
later period the Soviet Government on many occasions asked the socialist states about the
recall of its advisers.In view of the fact that by now the people's democracies have formed their own
qualified national cadres in all spheres of economic and military construction, the Soviet
Government considers it as urgent to examine, together with other socialist states, the
question whether a further stay of U.S.S.R. advisers in these countries is expedient.In the military sphere, the Warsaw Treaty is an important foundation for mutual
relations between the Soviet Union and the people's democracies. Its participants took
upon themselves appropriate political and military obligations, including obligations to
adopt agreed measures essential for strengthcuing their defense potential, so as to
protect the peaceful labors of their people, guarantee the inviolability of their
frontiers and territories, and insure defense against possible aggression.It is known that, in accordance with the Warsaw Treaty and with government agreements,
Soviet units are stationed in the Hungarian and the Rumanian Republics. In the Polish
Republic, Soviet military units are stationed on the basis of the Potsdam Four-Power
Agreement and the Warsaw Treaty. In other people's democratic countries there are no
Soviet military units.With a view to insuring the mutual security of the socialist countries, the Soviet
Government is ready to examine with other socialist countries that are parties to the
Warsaw Treaty the question of Soviet troops stationed on the territory of these countries.
In this the Soviet Government proceeds from the general principle that the stationing of
troops of one state that is a party to the Warsaw Treaty on the territory of another state
that is a party to the Warsaw Treaty should take place on the basis of an agreement among
all its participants and not only with the agreement of the state on whose territory these
troops are stationed or are planned to be stationed at its request...The Soviet Government and all the Soviet people deeply regret that the development of
events in Hungary has led to bloodshed. On the request of the Hungarian People's
Government the Soviet Government consented to the entry into Budapest of the Soviet Army
units to assist the Hungarian People's Army and the Hungarian authorities to establish
order in the town. Believing that the further presence of Soviet Army units in Hungary can
serve as a cause for even greater deterioration of the situation, the Soviet Government
has given instructions to its military command to withdraw the Soviet Army units from
Budapest as soon as this is recognized as necessary by the Hungarian Government.At the same time, the Soviet Government is ready to enter into relevant negotiations
with the Government of the Hungarian People's Republic and other participants of the
Warsaw Treaty on the question of the presence of Soviet troops on the territory of
Hungary. . . .The Soviet Government expresses confidence that the peoples of the socialist countries
will not permit foreign and internal reactionary forces to undermine the basis of the
people's democratic regimes, won and consolidated by the heroic struggle and toil of the
workers, peasants, and intelligentsia of each country.They will make all efforts to remove all obstacles that lie in the path of further
strengthening the democratic basis of the independence and sovereignty of their countries,
to develop further the socialist basis of each country, its economy and culture, for the
sake of the constant growth of the material welfare and the cultural level of all the
workers. They will consolidate the fraternal unity and mutual assistance of the socialist
countries for the strengthening of the great cause of peace and socialism.
Source:Reprinted from The Department of State Bulletin, XXXV, No. 907 (November 12,
1956), pp. 745-747.
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