Soviet–Vietnamese Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation (1978)
소련·베트남 우호협력조약 (1978)
A twenty-five-year friendship and cooperation treaty signed by the USSR and Vietnam on 3 November 1978. It provided for economic, scientific and cultural cooperation and socialist solidarity; Article 6 required immediate consultation and appropriate measures in the event of attack or threatened attack. Concluded amid worsening Sino-Vietnamese relations, it formed part of the diplomatic background to the 1979 war.
In depth
Background
Vietnam strengthened cooperation with Moscow during the Sino-Soviet split and entered Comecon in 1978. Against the background of Cambodia, border disputes and the departure of ethnic Chinese, Lê Duẩn and Phạm Văn Đồng signed the treaty with the Soviet leadership. Beijing interpreted it in the context of Soviet encirclement.
Article 6
The treaty’s equally authentic texts were Vietnamese and Russian. Its published English translation states:
In case either party is attacked or threatened with attack, the two parties signatory to the treaty shall immediately consult each other with a view to eliminating that threat, and shall take appropriate and effective measures to safeguard peace and the security of the two countries.
Meaning and limits
The provision required consultation and measures against threats; it did not specify automatic entry into war or a predetermined troop commitment. In 1979 Moscow supplied material and diplomatic support and exerted military pressure without entering a full-scale war with China. Article 7 disclaimed an intention to oppose third countries; Article 9 set a twenty-five-year term and renewal arrangements.