Syria: Section 3 - Analysis

摘要

Since 1971, Syria has been ruled by the radical left-wing Marxist-oriented Baath Party, which was heavily dependent on the Soviet Union for both economic and military aid. Linked to the Soviet Union by a Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation, Syria had minimal political and military contacts with the Western world. Despite the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Syrians have maintained their political and military links with the successor state, the Russian Federation. Russia still has access to the Syrian ports of Latakia and Tartus, with the latter an important overseas base for Russia's Black Sea Fleet. The Russians apparently want to regain full access to these Syrian ports to expand their naval presence in the region after a period of retrenchment following the collapse of the Soviet Union a decade-and-a-half ago.