PART 1 The structure of Soviet-Syrian relations: Moscow and Damascus-a patron-client relationship?; Soviet-Syrian relations - the military dimension; the economics of Soviet policy towards Syria. Part 2 The evolution of Soviet policy towards Syria: the formative years, 1970-73; war and disengagement; Lebanon; towards a bilateral treaty; from crisis to war; the post-Brezhnev interregnum; Gorbachev and the Syrians. Appendices: the treaty of friendship and cooperation between the union of the Soviet Socialist Republics and the Syrian Arab Republic; the Soviet proposal for a Middle East peace settlement, 29 July 1984; Mikhail Gorbachev's dinner speech honouring Asad, 24 April 1987.
