Упрощенная HTML-версия
Author : Yu. Dubinin
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Professor at the Moscow State Institute (University)
of International Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation;
AFTER FRANCO DIED in November 1975,
Spain entered a period of its history known as the
"Transition" - the transition from dictatorship to
democracy. The Soviet Union followed with inter-
est the process of democratization of political life
in Spain and wished it success on this path. In Jan-
uary 1977, the Spanish government invited the
USSR to hold talks on the establishment of diplo-
matic ties. Moscow agreed. The success of the talks
on the establishment of diplomatic relations
showed the mutual desire of both countries to turn a new page in their relations.
The first stage of our relations was difficult. The burden of the past was still felt. Nothing worked
properly. For a long time, relations between the two countries hardly evolved at all. Moscow had a
vague idea of the situation in Spain and was not acquainted with those in power in Madrid. In turn,
Spanish society had different attitudes to the Soviet Union and was marked by the inertia of Fran-
coism. These differences largely coincided with differences between supporters of the transition
to democracy and opponents of this process. Thus efforts to develop Soviet-Spanish relations
were part of the process of the emergence of a new and democratic Spain.
At the same time, there was a lot of mutual goodwill in Spain and the Soviet Union. It was essential
to use this key resource for the development of relations, and work had to begin at once. When I
was appointed Soviet Ambassador to Spain in the fall of 1978, I managed to get permission (with
Andrei Gromyko's help) to transmit an invitation from the Soviet government to the Spanish min-
ister of foreign affairs to visit the Soviet Union. The invitation was favorably received in Madrid.
The visit took place already in January 1979. This marked the beginning of the development of
relations between the two countries that has continued up to the present day.
The visit to the Soviet Union by the Spanish head of state would have inevitably evoked a deep
political resonance in Spain.
The outstanding Spanish statesman Felipe González has said that the king's six-day visit in May
1984 was an enormous and decisive step for the future relations of the two countries.
Our assessment of the visit stated that its results "would promote mutual understanding and the
further development of relations between the two countries in the interests of peace, détente, and
easing of international tensions."
The visit attracted the attention of the entire world. The French newspaper Le Figaro called it a
"turning point in the history of two nations located at different ends of the Old Continent...." This
was the truth.
Russian-Spanish Relations: Notes on the Recent Past
Электронное приложение к журналу «
Международная жизнь
»