Agreement of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance
Encyclopedia
The Agreement of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance, also known as the YYA Treaty from the Finnish
(Swedish
: was the basis for Finno
–Soviet
relations from 1948 to 1992.
Under the treaty, which was signed on April 6, 1948, the Soviets sought to deter Western
or Allied Powers from attacking the Soviet Union
through Finnish territory, and the Finns sought to increase Finland's political independence
from the Soviet Union. It thus ensured Finland's survival as a liberal democracy
in close proximity to strategic Soviet regions, such as the Kola Peninsula
and the old capital Leningrad
.
Under the pact, Finland was obliged to resist armed attacks by "Germany or its allies" (in reality interpreted as the United States
and allies) against Finland, or against the Soviet Union through Finland. If necessary, Finland was to ask for Soviet military aid to do so. The agreement also recognized Finland's desire to remain outside great-power
conflicts, allowing the country to adopt a policy of neutrality
in the Cold War
.
Due to the uncertain status of Finno–Soviet relations in the years after the Continuation War
, and the precise interpretation of the treaty's wording, Finland followed the Warsaw Pact
countries' decision and did not participate in the Marshall Plan
. As a result, Finland's post-war period of economic hardship was prolonged, compared to other European capitalist countries, and it thus became considerably more economically dependent on the Soviet Union. In general, Finland kept its relations towards western military powers officially distant (including the proposed Scandinavian Defense Union) and NATO in particular. By avoiding supporting the West, it attempted to fend off Soviet pressure for affiliation with the Warsaw Pact.
The YYA Treaty was a cornerstone in Paasikivi
's foreign policy. It was also a central policy under the presidency of Kekkonen (1956–1981), who dubbed his foreign policy doctrine
the Paasikivi-Kekkonen line
. The treaty was an instrumental tool for the Soviet Union to gain political leverage in the internal affairs of Finland in post-war era. This influence was commonly referred to as Finlandisation. It is hotly debated to which degree did President Urho Kekkonen
(President 1956–1981) intentionally use it to further his own influence and damage his opponents.
Despite the official policy, there was some secret co-operation with the West. This ranged from Finnish organizations such as the Social Democratic Party
accepting CIA funding to sharing of seismic data on nuclear tests. Likewise, Eastern Bloc countries conducted espionage in Finland, e.g. the East German Stasi
had agents.
The Soviet Union had similar agreements with many nations that were not directly allied with it but depended heavily on Soviet support, such as North Korea
since 1961, with India
since 1971, Vietnam
since 1978, etc. The first such agreement, however, was with Free France in 1943.
Finnish language
Finnish is the language spoken by the majority of the population in Finland Primarily for use by restaurant menus and by ethnic Finns outside Finland. It is one of the two official languages of Finland and an official minority language in Sweden. In Sweden, both standard Finnish and Meänkieli, a...
(Swedish
Finland-Swedish
Finland Swedish is a general term for the closely related cluster of dialects of Swedish spoken in Finland by Swedish-speaking Finns as their mother tongue...
: was the basis for Finno
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
–Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
relations from 1948 to 1992.
Under the treaty, which was signed on April 6, 1948, the Soviets sought to deter Western
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
or Allied Powers from attacking the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
through Finnish territory, and the Finns sought to increase Finland's political independence
Independence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
from the Soviet Union. It thus ensured Finland's survival as a liberal democracy
Liberal democracy
Liberal democracy, also known as constitutional democracy, is a common form of representative democracy. According to the principles of liberal democracy, elections should be free and fair, and the political process should be competitive...
in close proximity to strategic Soviet regions, such as the Kola Peninsula
Kola Peninsula
The Kola Peninsula is a peninsula in the far northwest of Russia. Constituting the bulk of the territory of Murmansk Oblast, it lies almost completely to the north of the Arctic Circle and is washed by the Barents Sea in the north and the White Sea in the east and southeast...
and the old capital Leningrad
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
.
Under the pact, Finland was obliged to resist armed attacks by "Germany or its allies" (in reality interpreted as the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and allies) against Finland, or against the Soviet Union through Finland. If necessary, Finland was to ask for Soviet military aid to do so. The agreement also recognized Finland's desire to remain outside great-power
Great power
A great power is a nation or state that has the ability to exert its influence on a global scale. Great powers characteristically possess military and economic strength and diplomatic and cultural influence which may cause small powers to consider the opinions of great powers before taking actions...
conflicts, allowing the country to adopt a policy of neutrality
Neutral country
A neutral power in a particular war is a sovereign state which declares itself to be neutral towards the belligerents. A non-belligerent state does not need to be neutral. The rights and duties of a neutral power are defined in Sections 5 and 13 of the Hague Convention of 1907...
in the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
.
Due to the uncertain status of Finno–Soviet relations in the years after the Continuation War
Continuation War
The Continuation War was the second of two wars fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II.At the time of the war, the Finnish side used the name to make clear its perceived relationship to the preceding Winter War...
, and the precise interpretation of the treaty's wording, Finland followed the Warsaw Pact
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance , or more commonly referred to as the Warsaw Pact, was a mutual defense treaty subscribed to by eight communist states in Eastern Europe...
countries' decision and did not participate in the Marshall Plan
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was the large-scale American program to aid Europe where the United States gave monetary support to help rebuild European economies after the end of World War II in order to combat the spread of Soviet communism. The plan was in operation for four years beginning in April 1948...
. As a result, Finland's post-war period of economic hardship was prolonged, compared to other European capitalist countries, and it thus became considerably more economically dependent on the Soviet Union. In general, Finland kept its relations towards western military powers officially distant (including the proposed Scandinavian Defense Union) and NATO in particular. By avoiding supporting the West, it attempted to fend off Soviet pressure for affiliation with the Warsaw Pact.
The YYA Treaty was a cornerstone in Paasikivi
Juho Kusti Paasikivi
Juho Kusti Paasikivi was the seventh President of Finland . Representing the Finnish Party and the National Coalition Party, he also served as Prime Minister of Finland , and was generally an influential figure in Finnish economics and politics for over fifty years...
's foreign policy. It was also a central policy under the presidency of Kekkonen (1956–1981), who dubbed his foreign policy doctrine
Doctrine
Doctrine is a codification of beliefs or a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system...
the Paasikivi-Kekkonen line
Paasikivi-Kekkonen Line
The Paasikivi-Kekkonen line is president Urho Kekkonen’s realization and development of his predecessor Paasikivi’s doctrine, aimed at Finland’s survival as an independent sovereign democratic and capitalist country in the immediate proximity of the Soviet Union.The principal architect of the...
. The treaty was an instrumental tool for the Soviet Union to gain political leverage in the internal affairs of Finland in post-war era. This influence was commonly referred to as Finlandisation. It is hotly debated to which degree did President Urho Kekkonen
Urho Kekkonen
Urho Kaleva Kekkonen , was a Finnish politician who served as Prime Minister of Finland and later as the eighth President of Finland . Kekkonen continued the “active neutrality” policy of his predecessor President Juho Kusti Paasikivi, a doctrine which came to be known as the “Paasikivi–Kekkonen...
(President 1956–1981) intentionally use it to further his own influence and damage his opponents.
Despite the official policy, there was some secret co-operation with the West. This ranged from Finnish organizations such as the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party of Finland
The Social Democratic Party of Finland is one of the three major political parties in Finland, along with the Centre Party and the National Coalition Party. Jutta Urpilainen is the current SDP leader. The party has been in the Finnish government cabinet for long periods and has set many...
accepting CIA funding to sharing of seismic data on nuclear tests. Likewise, Eastern Bloc countries conducted espionage in Finland, e.g. the East German Stasi
Stasi
The Ministry for State Security The Ministry for State Security The Ministry for State Security (German: Ministerium für Staatssicherheit (MfS), commonly known as the Stasi (abbreviation , literally State Security), was the official state security service of East Germany. The MfS was headquartered...
had agents.
The Soviet Union had similar agreements with many nations that were not directly allied with it but depended heavily on Soviet support, such as North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
since 1961, with India
Indo-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation
The Indo–Soviet Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation was a treaty signed between India and the Soviet Union in August 1971 that specified mutual strategic cooperation...
since 1971, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
since 1978, etc. The first such agreement, however, was with Free France in 1943.
External links
- Agreement of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance at www.mannerheim.fi
- The Paasikivi Policy and Foreign-Policy Thinking at the Paasikivi Society
- The Cold War and the Treaty of 1948 from Library of Congress (the Country Studies)