DEVELOPMENT OF SOVIET OVERSEAS FACILITIES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86T00608R000700130021-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 21
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 30, 2003
• Sequence Number: 21
• Publication Date: July 8, 1975
• Content Type: MF

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MEMORIINDUM FOR: Deputy National ILttelligcnce Officer
for Conventional Porces _
SUBJECT Development of Soviet Overseas
Facilities
1. In response to Andrew Marshall's request to
you last week, 25X1A
prepared two short papers that are ,1, ac. e e first
is a composite description of events leading to the
development of Soviet facilities in Third World coun-
tries based on the Soviet experience in Cuba, Egypt
and Somalia, including a chronology of milestone events.
The second paper summarizes our knowledge and our view
of arrangements which the Soviets probably have nego-
tiated to establish overseas facilities.
2. Because of the short deadline, these papers
have not been vetted within OSR or the intelligence
corununity. We urge that you inform Mr. Marshall of
this fact when you pass these papers to him.
25X1A
Deputy Director
Strategic Research
Attachments:
"Patterns of Soviet Development
of Overseas Facilities" an3
Chronology
"Terms of Agreement Governing
Soviet Use of Overseas
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Patterns of Soviet Development
of Overseas Incl.,, i' ac
The Soviets have established major military
facilities which could be labeled as "bases" in three
countries outside the Warsaw Pact: Cuba, Egypt, and
Somalia. While each case is unique, there are common
elements which permit certain generalizations about
the process. What follows is a composite picture,
based on these precedents, of the "typical" process
by which the Soviets would develop a military presence
in a Third World country.
The Initial Relationship. The Soviet military
presence begins on a small scale and without fanfare--
as a quid pro quo- for economic and military aid.
Soviet technicians arrive to carry out economic develop-
ment programs. These programs include fishery, industry
and power development as well a's military-oriented
development of ports and airfields. At the same time,
or shortly theri a'_'ter, Moscow sends military advisers;
followed by military hazrdware. Soviet naval units
then begin periodic "show-the-flag" port calls. Up
to this point, the pattern of development of the Soviet
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mili ,nry presence in the countries where the Soviets
have acquired "bases" is essentially the same as that
established in most of the Third World countries with
which the Soviets have been involved.
Increased 6oviet Involvement. Next is a phase
of increasing Soviet involvement but one in which some
of the developments can still be found in countries
where the Soviets have not established "bases". F
Soviet
naval visits eventually become regular as Soviet access
to the host country's port facilities and anchorages
becomes routine. Meanwhile, the Soviets strive to
gain a measura of control-over certain repair facilities
in the country's ports--primarily for the use of Soviet
diesel attack submarines. The Soviet Navy then wins
approval to maintain auxiliary ships permanently in
port to provide support to visiting Soviet combatants.
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Establishment of Facilities Ashore. There follows
a period of Soviet entre.;.:chment which normally includes
the construction of military facilities specifically
for Soviet use, under loviet control.
Most of the millitary facilities which the Soviets
build overseas are for the support of the Soviet Navy.
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While the development of facilities for the
Sovici Navy is underway, Soviet air and air defense
(SAM, AAA, fighter) forces may also be introduced
into the host country to help defend it from external
threats as well as to protect the growing Soviet invest-
ment itself.
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Chrono7.oc of Ucvc:].op1fl(nt of Soviet
1"'aca T-Lies in t11 'I'hi.rd hi-7d'
A. Cuba:
-- Early 1960's: Soviet economic technicians
and military advisors begin arriving.
-- August 1962: Lourdes Military Headquarters
-- October 1962: The US announces that the
Soviets have placed offensive missiles on
Cuban soil and imposes a naval quargtine.
(Preceding and succeeding events related to
this occurrence are omitted from this
is established at Torrens.
chronology.)
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-- July 1969:
to Cuba.
PirsL? Soviet warship deployment
-- November 1969:
Soviet Minister of Defense
Grechko visits Cuba.
-- April 1970: Raul Castro visits USSR.'
-- August-September 1970: Soviets begin rapid
construction of housing and recreation facili-
ties on AlcaLraz Island at Cienfuegos, place
submarine nets in the area, and bring in two
nuclear submarine support barges.
-- September-October 1970: US publicly accuses
the USSR of developing a strategic naval base
in Cuba for nuclear submarines. An authorizec,
TASS statement officially denies that the USSR
is developing "its own military base" in Cuba,
but notes that Soviet ships have the "inalienable
right" to enter foreign ports on official visits
and "business calls", subject only to the
permission of the host country. The Cuban
press at first says nothing, then obliquely
refers to the controversy but does not take
note of the actual denials of construction of
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a Soviet mii9.tary base. Secret US-Soviet
diplomatic exchanges occurconccrning Soviet
naval use of Cuba.
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B. Lc~JY_pt:
-- 1962: Soviets design and supervise con-
struction of El Gabbari shipyard in
Alexandria.
-- 1964-5: Soviet warships begin periodic
"show-the-flag" visits to Egyptian ports.
-- October 1966: Soviet Foreign Ministry
spokesman officially denies a Western
news story that the USSR had pressured
Egypt to grant it naval bases.
--,March 1968: Moscow concludes a five
year agreement with Egypt granting the
Soviet Navy access to Egyptian ports and
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anchorages.
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-- February 1971: TASS reports Egyptian state-
ment that "there are no Soviet military bases
on Egyptian soil".
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-- July 1971: Red Star states that the USSR does
not have military bases in the Mediterranean.
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C. Somalia:
Mid-1960s: Soviet economic ,cchnicians and
military advisors begin arriving.
Modernization of port of Berbera begins.
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October 1969: Coup succeeds in Somalia and
the present pro-Soviet government is estab-
lished. Soviet military and economic aid
inr reases .
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 -- July 1973: Pravda dismisses Western press
claims that the USSR is "building up military
forces" in Somalia.
Pacific and Indian Oceans.
During flurry of comment about Diego Garcia
issue, Soviet media directly dismiss reports
that USSR is operating naval bases in the
Indian Ocean and charge that the US is
planning to build a chain of bases in the
July 1974: The Soviet-Somali Treaty of Friend-
ship and Cooperation is signed.
August 1974: TASS labels President Ford's
statement that the USSR had three Indian Ocean
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bases a "regrettable inaccuracy" and asserts
that there is not single Soviet nai.ral base
in the Indian Ocean.
September 1974: TASS replays the denial by the
Somali embassy in France of a US Defense
in Somalia.
Department statement that the USSR had a base
October 1974: Soviel? Somali Treaty is ratified
and takes effect.
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.DOD of "misinformation" to strengthen its
argument for increased budget allocations.
Styx type, introduced in 1959, and states that
these missiles are standard armament on missile
patrol boats around the world. Subsequent
media releases, however, revert to replaying
Somali denials of any Soviet bases and accusing
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DOD releases U-2 photos and Defense
Secretary Schlessinger's testimony on Berbe?:a.
Soviet media pick up Somali denials of Soviet in-
stallations in Berbera, later obliquely Alude
to the missile facility as a "meat packing plant",
and call the new airfield a highway. One Soviet
broadcast picks up the Pentagon admission that
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Terms of Agreement Governi 'ning Soviet Use
of Overseas Fae 1ities
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We know little about the specific terms of agree-
ment for Soviet overseas facilities. it is probable
that there are no "Status of Forces" agreements
similar to those which the US negotiates when seeking
base rights in foreign countries, but rather "under-
standings" expressed in secret codicils to the various
military aid agreements.
Egypt. In the case of the Soviet presence in
Egypt, President Sadat revealed in a speech in April
1974 that Soviet access to Egyptian port facilities
is based on a five-year agreement initially concluded
in March 1968. Sadat stated that he had renewed the
agreement prior to its expiration in 1973, but he did
not indicate whether the renewal period was five years.
At the same time, Sadat said that the Soviets never
truly had military bases in Egypt, only depots for
reserve stocks and spare parts aboard Soviet ships in
port.
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Cuba. We have no knowledge of any agreement granting
the Soviets the right to use Cuban facilities or to
develop installations of their own on Cuban territory.
Apparently such agreements exist, but none has been
published.
Somalia. Similarly, we have no details on the
arrangements the Soviets and Somalis have made regarding
the use of the Somali port of Berbera. Economic and
military aid agreements were signed in November 1971.
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In July 1974, Soviet President Podgorny visited
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Somalia and signed a treaty of friendship and cooperation.
In,each of these three cases--oven in Egypt--agree-
ments probably have been intentionally ambiguous and
therefore open to varying interpretations. The host
country could interpret the agreement db merely granting
the USSR access to facilities, rather than granting it
"base rights" per se. Hence the host country could deny
without hesitation the existence of "Soviet military
bases". Yet the Soviets could interpret the agreement
as permission to develop and control the facilities they
want while denying that they are constructing "military
bases" overseas, in the legal sense.
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