Russia–Yemen relations
Encyclopedia
Russia–Yemen relations is the bilateral relationship between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Yemen.
in Ankara
, Turkey
in 1926. In 1927 the Emir
of Hodeida Saif-al-Islam Muhammad passed to the Soviet consul general in Jeddah
, Karim Khakimov, a letter from the Yemeni Imam
Yahya Muhammad Hamid ed-Din
which proposed to the Soviets that the two countries should establish trade relations. As early as November 1927, Soviet petrol was being sold in Yemen, at a lower price than that of the Italians
, and the Soviets were purchasing Yemeni coffee at a higher price than any other nation. Whilst negotiations for a trade treaty commenced in Sana'a
in June 1928, the Soviets had set themselves up in Hodeida in order to receive goods which were arriving on Soviet ships. On 12 July 1928 the first Soviet-Yemeni treaty was signed.
In June 1928 Georgiy Astakhov and Qadi Muhammad Raghib had drawn up the terms of a Treaty of Friendship and Commerce in Sana'a
, after which Astakhov returned to Moscow
to report to Georgy Chicherin
. Karakhov, Chicherin's deputy, proposed a number of amendments to the draft, which lead to Astakhov to return to Sana'a to continue negotiations with the Yemenis. The Treaty was concluded on 1 November 1928, for a period of ten years, and saw the two states establishing "normal official relations". The Soviet Government ratified the treat on 23 January 1929, however it wasn't until 30 April 1929 that Mikhail Kalinin
, the Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, advised Imam Yahya that the Soviets had ratified the treaty. Imam Yahya ratified the treaty on 24 June 1929, and the treaty went into force on 24 July 1929 after the deeds of ratification were exchanged in Sana'a. The ratification saw Yemen becoming the first Arab
country to recognise the Soviet Union.
On 7 February 1929 a Soviet steamer arrived in Hodeida carrying 25,000 cases of kerosene and foodstuffs. Upon the steamers arrival, Emir Muhammad received the ship's officers and visited the vessel. In May 1929, the Emir forbid Yemeni pilgrims travelling to Jeddah
from boarding British and Italian ships, and instead required them to travel on a Soviet ship. The increasing respect that the Yemenis had given to the Soviets began to worry the British and Italians, and led the British to change their policy towards Imam Yahya, whose forces were pushing deeper inside the Aden Protectorate
. It was the opinion of Count Rogeri, the Italian ambassador in London, that the Soviet-Yemeni Treaty would make it difficult for the Italians to exert influence over Yahya to restrain himself in dealings with Ibn Saud and the British, as required under the Anglo-Italian Agreement of 1926. Despite misgivings by the British, a month later they informed the Italians that military actions against Yahya had been ceased.
Britain remained concerned at the Soviets gaining a foothold in Yemen, in particular in trade issues. In 1930 Yemen imported from the Soviet Union 50 per cent of its kerosene, 60 per cent of its soap, 35 per cent of its sugar and 80 per cent of its timber. In 1931, Soviet exports to Yemen totalled some 3,834,000 rubles
. However, after 1931 Soviet exports to Yemen decreased, and in 1936 were worth less than 100,000 rubles. Likewise Soviet imports from Yemen totalled some 875,000 rubles in 1931, and were non-existent the following year. Trade relations between the Soviets and Yemenis began their decline in 1932 mainly because of disagreements with Amir Muhammad over the nature of Soviet trade. The manager of the Russian Trading Company informed the Imam that the Soviets were considering increasing their trade in the Red Sea
area, and suggested that Hodeidah may become the central focus of these operations, however, the Imam was unimpressed.
By the mid-1930s, the attention of the Soviets was redirected away from Arabia to Adolf Hitler
's Germany
and Benito Mussolini
's Italy, and all Soviet officials, with the exception of Dr Yaskolko, left Yemen. Imam Yahya contacted the Soviet authorities on 4 December 1938 with a proposal to extend the 1928 Treaty of Friendship and Commerce for a further ten years; the proposal of which was accepted by the Soviets on 28 January 1939, extended the treaty to 24 June 1949. The Soviets announced the closure of its diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia
and Yemen in May 1939, citing the conclusion of the Anglo-Italian Agreement of 1939, however, the real reason for the closure was obscure. Madame Fattakhov, the wife of the Soviet consul-general in Jeddah
travelled to Yemen and announced that the closure of the missions was due to fears of a world war
, although Soviet-Yemeni friendship would continue. According to one writer, those members of the diplomatic mission in Yemen who returned to Moscow
were executed on account of their failure in the success of the Soviet missions to Arabia. Until the 1950s there was little communication with between the Soviet government
and those governments on the Arabian Peninsula
.
On 31 October 1955 in Cairo
, the Soviet Ambassador to Egypt Daniel Solod
and acting Yemeni Foreign Minister Samad Abu Taleb signed a Treaty of Friendship
. The treaty, which renewed the 1928 Treaty of Friendship and Commerce, included a provision establishing diplomatic relations between the two states. Abdurrahman Abu Talib was appointed as the first Yemeni Ambassador to the Soviet Union, with non-resident status, whilst Yevgeny Kiselyov, resident in Cairo, was appointed as the first Soviet Ambassador to Yemen on 4 August 1956. On 8 March 1956 a Trade Agreement between the two countries was signed in Cairo, and it was reported that Soviet arms sales to Yemen were also agreed to, with the first shipment of arms arriving in Yemen in November of that year. The exchange of instruments of ratification for the establishment of diplomatic relations occurred in Cairo on 30 March 1956, and on 23 April 1956, the two states agreed to the opening of diplomatic mission
s in each country.
From 11-25 June 1956 Crown Prince
Muhammad al-Badr
visited the Soviet Union, and agreements were signed to expand trade relations between the two states, and provisions were made for Soviet aid for Yemeni economic development. From 1956 the Soviet mission was located in Cairo, and in 1958 it was relocated to Taiz. The Soviet embassy was relocated to Sana'a on 24 June 1962.
was overthrown in a coup led by Abdullah as-Sallal
, who installed himself as President
of the Yemen Arab Republic
. The Soviet Union became the second country, after the United Arab Republic
, to recognise the Republic, when on 1 October Soviet Premier
Nikita Khrushchev
, send a telegram to Abdullah as-Sallal extending recognition. In November 1962 the Soviet mission in Sana'a and the Yemeni mission in Moscow were raised to embassy level, and Colonel Ali Saif al-Khawlani was appointed as the first ambassador of the revolutionary government to the Soviet Union.
gained independence as the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen
. The Soviet Union recognised the independence of the new republic on 3 December 1967.
on 30 December 1991, after the latter's dissolution
. President Ali Abdullah Saleh had paid two states visits to Russia within a relatively short period: He had been to Russia in December 2002 and April 2004.
Relations with the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen
Soviet diplomats made their first contacts with representatives of the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of YemenMutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen
The Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen , sometimes spelled Mutawakelite Kingdom of Yemen, also known as the Kingdom of Yemen or as North Yemen, was a country from 1918 to 1962 in the northern part of what is now Yemen...
in Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
in 1926. In 1927 the Emir
Emir
Emir , meaning "commander", "general", or "prince"; also transliterated as Amir, Aamir or Ameer) is a title of high office, used throughout the Muslim world...
of Hodeida Saif-al-Islam Muhammad passed to the Soviet consul general in Jeddah
Jeddah
Jeddah, Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda is a city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The...
, Karim Khakimov, a letter from the Yemeni Imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
Yahya Muhammad Hamid ed-Din
Yahya Muhammad Hamid ed-Din
Yahya Muhammad Hamidaddin became Imam of the Zaydis in 1904 and Imam of Yemen in 1918. His name in full was Amir al-Mumenin al-Mutawakkil 'Ala Allah Rab ul-Alamin Imam Yahya bin al-Mansur Bi'llah Muhammad Hamidaddin, Imam and Commander of the Faithful.Yahya Muhammad Hamidaddin was born on Friday...
which proposed to the Soviets that the two countries should establish trade relations. As early as November 1927, Soviet petrol was being sold in Yemen, at a lower price than that of the Italians
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and the Soviets were purchasing Yemeni coffee at a higher price than any other nation. Whilst negotiations for a trade treaty commenced in Sana'a
Sana'a
-Districts:*Al Wahdah District*As Sabain District*Assafi'yah District*At Tahrir District*Ath'thaorah District*Az'zal District*Bani Al Harith District*Ma'ain District*Old City District*Shu'aub District-Old City:...
in June 1928, the Soviets had set themselves up in Hodeida in order to receive goods which were arriving on Soviet ships. On 12 July 1928 the first Soviet-Yemeni treaty was signed.
In June 1928 Georgiy Astakhov and Qadi Muhammad Raghib had drawn up the terms of a Treaty of Friendship and Commerce in Sana'a
Sana'a
-Districts:*Al Wahdah District*As Sabain District*Assafi'yah District*At Tahrir District*Ath'thaorah District*Az'zal District*Bani Al Harith District*Ma'ain District*Old City District*Shu'aub District-Old City:...
, after which Astakhov returned to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
to report to Georgy Chicherin
Georgy Chicherin
Georgy Vasilyevich Chicherin was a Marxist revolutionary and a Soviet politician. He served as People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs in the Soviet government from March 1918 to 1930.-Childhood and early career:...
. Karakhov, Chicherin's deputy, proposed a number of amendments to the draft, which lead to Astakhov to return to Sana'a to continue negotiations with the Yemenis. The Treaty was concluded on 1 November 1928, for a period of ten years, and saw the two states establishing "normal official relations". The Soviet Government ratified the treat on 23 January 1929, however it wasn't until 30 April 1929 that Mikhail Kalinin
Mikhail Kalinin
Mikhail Ivanovich Kalinin , known familiarly by Soviet citizens as "Kalinych," was a Bolshevik revolutionary and the nominal head of state of Russia and later of the Soviet Union, from 1919 to 1946...
, the Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, advised Imam Yahya that the Soviets had ratified the treaty. Imam Yahya ratified the treaty on 24 June 1929, and the treaty went into force on 24 July 1929 after the deeds of ratification were exchanged in Sana'a. The ratification saw Yemen becoming the first Arab
Arab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...
country to recognise the Soviet Union.
On 7 February 1929 a Soviet steamer arrived in Hodeida carrying 25,000 cases of kerosene and foodstuffs. Upon the steamers arrival, Emir Muhammad received the ship's officers and visited the vessel. In May 1929, the Emir forbid Yemeni pilgrims travelling to Jeddah
Jeddah
Jeddah, Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda is a city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The...
from boarding British and Italian ships, and instead required them to travel on a Soviet ship. The increasing respect that the Yemenis had given to the Soviets began to worry the British and Italians, and led the British to change their policy towards Imam Yahya, whose forces were pushing deeper inside the Aden Protectorate
Aden Protectorate
The Aden Protectorate was a British protectorate in southern Arabia which evolved in the hinterland of Aden following the acquisition of that port by Britain in 1839 as an anti-piracy station, and it continued until the 1960s. For administrative purposes it was divided into the Western...
. It was the opinion of Count Rogeri, the Italian ambassador in London, that the Soviet-Yemeni Treaty would make it difficult for the Italians to exert influence over Yahya to restrain himself in dealings with Ibn Saud and the British, as required under the Anglo-Italian Agreement of 1926. Despite misgivings by the British, a month later they informed the Italians that military actions against Yahya had been ceased.
Britain remained concerned at the Soviets gaining a foothold in Yemen, in particular in trade issues. In 1930 Yemen imported from the Soviet Union 50 per cent of its kerosene, 60 per cent of its soap, 35 per cent of its sugar and 80 per cent of its timber. In 1931, Soviet exports to Yemen totalled some 3,834,000 rubles
Soviet ruble
The Soviet ruble or rouble was the currency of the Soviet Union. One ruble is divided into 100 kopeks, ....
. However, after 1931 Soviet exports to Yemen decreased, and in 1936 were worth less than 100,000 rubles. Likewise Soviet imports from Yemen totalled some 875,000 rubles in 1931, and were non-existent the following year. Trade relations between the Soviets and Yemenis began their decline in 1932 mainly because of disagreements with Amir Muhammad over the nature of Soviet trade. The manager of the Russian Trading Company informed the Imam that the Soviets were considering increasing their trade in the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
area, and suggested that Hodeidah may become the central focus of these operations, however, the Imam was unimpressed.
By the mid-1930s, the attention of the Soviets was redirected away from Arabia to Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
's Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
and Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
's Italy, and all Soviet officials, with the exception of Dr Yaskolko, left Yemen. Imam Yahya contacted the Soviet authorities on 4 December 1938 with a proposal to extend the 1928 Treaty of Friendship and Commerce for a further ten years; the proposal of which was accepted by the Soviets on 28 January 1939, extended the treaty to 24 June 1949. The Soviets announced the closure of its diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
and Yemen in May 1939, citing the conclusion of the Anglo-Italian Agreement of 1939, however, the real reason for the closure was obscure. Madame Fattakhov, the wife of the Soviet consul-general in Jeddah
Jeddah
Jeddah, Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda is a city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The...
travelled to Yemen and announced that the closure of the missions was due to fears of a world war
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, although Soviet-Yemeni friendship would continue. According to one writer, those members of the diplomatic mission in Yemen who returned to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
were executed on account of their failure in the success of the Soviet missions to Arabia. Until the 1950s there was little communication with between the Soviet government
Government of the Soviet Union
The Council of Ministers of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was the de jure government comprising the highest executive and administrative body of the Soviet Union from 1946 until 1991....
and those governments on the Arabian Peninsula
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula is a land mass situated north-east of Africa. Also known as Arabia or the Arabian subcontinent, it is the world's largest peninsula and covers 3,237,500 km2...
.
On 31 October 1955 in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, the Soviet Ambassador to Egypt Daniel Solod
Daniel Solod
Daniel Semyonovich Solod was a Soviet diplomat and orientalist. He began working in the Soviet diplomatic corps in 1937. In 1940–1941 he served as Officer at the Soviet embassy in Yugoslavia. He was then transferred to Iran, where he served as Officer at the Soviet embassy in 1941-1943. In...
and acting Yemeni Foreign Minister Samad Abu Taleb signed a Treaty of Friendship
Treaty of Friendship
The Treaty of Friendship is a common generic name for any treaty establishing close ties between countries. For example:* 2001 Sino-Russian Treaty of Friendship* Élysée Treaty...
. The treaty, which renewed the 1928 Treaty of Friendship and Commerce, included a provision establishing diplomatic relations between the two states. Abdurrahman Abu Talib was appointed as the first Yemeni Ambassador to the Soviet Union, with non-resident status, whilst Yevgeny Kiselyov, resident in Cairo, was appointed as the first Soviet Ambassador to Yemen on 4 August 1956. On 8 March 1956 a Trade Agreement between the two countries was signed in Cairo, and it was reported that Soviet arms sales to Yemen were also agreed to, with the first shipment of arms arriving in Yemen in November of that year. The exchange of instruments of ratification for the establishment of diplomatic relations occurred in Cairo on 30 March 1956, and on 23 April 1956, the two states agreed to the opening of diplomatic mission
Diplomatic mission
A diplomatic mission is a group of people from one state or an international inter-governmental organisation present in another state to represent the sending state/organisation in the receiving state...
s in each country.
From 11-25 June 1956 Crown Prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
Muhammad al-Badr
Muhammad al-Badr
H.M. Muhammad Al-Badr was the last king of the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen and leader of the monarchist regions during the North Yemen Civil War...
visited the Soviet Union, and agreements were signed to expand trade relations between the two states, and provisions were made for Soviet aid for Yemeni economic development. From 1956 the Soviet mission was located in Cairo, and in 1958 it was relocated to Taiz. The Soviet embassy was relocated to Sana'a on 24 June 1962.
Relations with the Yemen Arab Republic
On 26 September 1962, Muhammad al-BadrMuhammad al-Badr
H.M. Muhammad Al-Badr was the last king of the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen and leader of the monarchist regions during the North Yemen Civil War...
was overthrown in a coup led by Abdullah as-Sallal
Abdullah as-Sallal
Abdullah al-Sallal was the leader of the North Yemeni Revolution of 1962. He served as the first President of the Yemen Arab Republic from 27 September 1962 to 5 November 1967....
, who installed himself as President
President of Yemen Arab Republic
The President of the Yemen Arab Republic was the head of state of that country in what is now northern Yemen. There were 6 Presidents of North Yemen.-List of Head of State of the Yemen Arab Republic :...
of the Yemen Arab Republic
Yemen Arab Republic
The Yemen Arab Republic , also known as North Yemen or Yemen , was a country from 1962 to 1990 in the western part of what is now Yemen...
. The Soviet Union became the second country, after the United Arab Republic
United Arab Republic
The United Arab Republic , often abbreviated as the U.A.R., was a sovereign union between Egypt and Syria. The union began in 1958 and existed until 1961, when Syria seceded from the union. Egypt continued to be known officially as the "United Arab Republic" until 1971. The President was Gamal...
, to recognise the Republic, when on 1 October Soviet Premier
Premier of the Soviet Union
The office of Premier of the Soviet Union was synonymous with head of government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics . Twelve individuals have been premier...
Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964...
, send a telegram to Abdullah as-Sallal extending recognition. In November 1962 the Soviet mission in Sana'a and the Yemeni mission in Moscow were raised to embassy level, and Colonel Ali Saif al-Khawlani was appointed as the first ambassador of the revolutionary government to the Soviet Union.
Relations with the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen
On 30 November 1967 the Federation of South ArabiaFederation of South Arabia
The Federation of South Arabia was an organization of states under British protection in what would become South Yemen. It was formed on 4 April 1962 from the 15 protected states of the Federation of Arab Emirates of the South. On 18 January 1963 it was merged with the crown colony of Aden...
gained independence as the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen
People's Democratic Republic of Yemen
The People's Democratic Republic of Yemen — also referred to as South Yemen, Democratic Yemen or Yemen — was a socialist republic in the present-day southern and eastern Provinces of Yemen...
. The Soviet Union recognised the independence of the new republic on 3 December 1967.
Russian Federation relations
Yemen recognised the Russian Federation as the successor state to the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
on 30 December 1991, after the latter's dissolution
Dissolution of the Soviet Union
The dissolution of the Soviet Union was the disintegration of the federal political structures and central government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , resulting in the independence of all fifteen republics of the Soviet Union between March 11, 1990 and December 25, 1991...
. President Ali Abdullah Saleh had paid two states visits to Russia within a relatively short period: He had been to Russia in December 2002 and April 2004.