Syrian Republic (1930-1958)

The draft new constitution of the Syrian state was discussed by the Constituent Assembly, elected in April 1928, but since the National Bloc for Independence won the majority of votes and insisted on the inclusion of several articles “that did not preserve the privileges of the credentials of power,” the Assembly was dissolved on August 9, 1928.

On May 14, 1930, the Syrian state was declared the Republic of Syria, and the High Commissioner of the Levant promulgated the new Syrian constitution along with the Constitution of Lebanon, the Rules of Procedure of the Alexandretta Sanjak, the Charter of the Alawi Government, the Charter of the State of Jebel Druz. A new flag was also mentioned in this constitution:

The Syrian flag should be composed as follows: the length should be two times the height. It should contain three strips of the same size, the upper stripe is green, the middle stripe is white, the bottom stripe is black. The white part should have three red, five-pointed stars.

During December 1931 and January 1932 elections were held under the new constitution, including the representation of religious minorities, in accordance with article 37 of the constitution. The national bloc was in the minority, in the new chamber of deputies there were only 17 people from this party. This was the result of intense falsification of votes by the French authorities. Also among the deputies were three members of the Syrian Kurdish nationalist party Hoibon. Later that year, from March 30 to April 6, additional elections were held.

In 1933, France tried to promote an independence treaty that promised the gradual independence of the Syrian Republic, but in fact kept Syria under control. The head of state at that time was Muhammad Ali Bey Al-Abid , who was a French puppet. Opposition to this treaty was led by a nationalist, one of the leaders of the National Bloc, Hashim Bey Khalid al-Atasi , who declared a 60-day strike supported by the people. Riots and demonstrations stalled the economy, and also forced the French government to negotiate independence for Syria.

After negotiations in March with the French High Commissioner in Syria, Damien de Martel, Hashim al-Atassi went to Paris , leading the delegation of the National Bloc. The new French government, led by the Popular Front, formed in June 1936 after the Parliamentary elections , agreed to recognize the National Bloc as the sole legitimate representatives of the Syrian people and invited Al-Atassi to negotiations on independence. The agreement provided for the immediate recognition of the independence of Syria as a sovereign republic.

In 1936, a Franco-Syrian independence treaty was signed. Thanks to this agreement, the Syrian Republic included autonomous states as part of the French mandate in Syria and Lebanon , Jabal al-Druz and the Alawite State . Under the terms of the agreement, it was also planned to include the territories of the Alexandretta Sanjak, which this year was called Hatay , as an autonomous sanjak within the Syrian Republic. The treaty also provided for a reduction in French intervention in Syrian internal affairs, as well as a reduction in French troops and military bases in Syria. In turn, Syria pledged to support France during the war, including the use of its airspace, and to allow France to maintain two military bases on Syrian territory. Great Lebanon did not become part of the Syrian Republic, remaining a separate part of the French mandate until 1946, when it gained independence.

Hashim Bey Khalid al-Atasi was the first president to be elected in accordance with the new constitution, adopted after the conclusion of the treaty of independence. In 1939, not wanting to lose the Middle East colonies at the dawn of a new war, and also because of the colonial mood of some politicians, France revised its promises about Syria and refused to ratify the treaty. In addition, the state of Hatay was annexed by Turkey, riots broke out in the country, Al-Atashi resigned. Syrian independence was delayed until after the Second World War .

After the occupation of France in 1940, the Syrian Republic came under the control of the Vichy regime until it was released in July 1941 by the British together with the forces of Free France .

On September 27, 1941, France proclaimed, in accordance with the mandate, the independence and sovereignty of the Syrian state. The proclamation says:

“The independence and sovereignty of Syria and Lebanon will not affect the legal status of these countries, which will remain in accordance with the terms of the mandate . In fact, this situation can only be changed with the consent of the Council of the League of Nations , with the consent of the United States Government, which signed the Franco-American Convention of April 4, 1924, and only after the conclusion of treaties duly executed by the Government of France and the Syrian and Lebanese governments in accordance with with the laws of the French Republic. ”

Despite this, the Syrian Republic and Lebanon gained independence after the end of World War II. Representatives of these countries attended meetings of the United Nations Conference on the Creation of an International Organization in San Francisco, and were one of the 51 founding countries of the UN. By signing the UN Charter on June 26, 1945, they became members of an organization where all members have sovereignty and equality. On October 24, 1945, the UN Charter was ratified. Thus, the French mandate was terminated on completely legal grounds.

French troops were withdrawn on April 17, 1946.

The first years of Syrian independence can be characterized, on the one hand, by a rapidly growing economy, on the other hand, by strong political instability.

In 1948, Syria was involved in the Arab-Israeli war . The Syrian army was ousted from Israeli areas, but strengthened its strongholds in the Golan Heights , and also retained its old borders.

Syria was the last of the Arab countries to sign a truce with Israel .

On March 29, 1949, the Syrian government was overthrown during a military coup, the country was headed by Husni Az-Zaim .

Later, on August 14, 1949, Zaim was overthrown by his colleague Sami al-Hinnawi. A few months later, in December 1949, Hinnavi was overthrown by Colonel Adib al-Shishakli . Shishakli continued to rule the country until 1954, until he lost power as a result of the coup. From 1946 to 1956, 20 governments and 4 constitutions were replaced in Syria.

After the invasion of Israeli troops on the Sinai Peninsula during the Suez crisis in Syria, martial law was declared, and later, to prevent a possible Israeli invasion, Syrian and Iraqi troops were deployed in Jordan .

In November 1956, Syria signed an agreement with the Soviet Union on the supply of aircraft, tanks and other military equipment. A similar treaty was concluded between Czechoslovakia and Egypt in September 1955. This reinforcement of the Syrian army worried Turkey, as Syria could try to return Hatay . In turn, the Soviet Union and Syria accused Turkey of concentrating forces on the Syrian border. Thanks to negotiations at the UN, the threat of war was reduced.

The political instability in Syria, the similarities in the foreign policy of Syria and Egypt created the prerequisites for the unification of these countries, and on February 22, 1958 between the Gamal Abdel Nasser and the Syrian President Shukri al-Quatli the Unification of Countries Act was signed. Arriving in Damascus, Nasser was greeted by crowds of people.

• Pir-Budagova E.P. History of Syria. XX century. - M .: Institute of Oriental Studies RAS , 2015. - ISBN 978-5-89282-624-2

• Gusterin P. Syria between world wars