The United Arab Republic (RAU) (rear RTL الجمهوريةالعربيةالمتحدة Al jumhūrīya Al-arabīya Al-muttaĥida ) is a country created in 1958 by the union of the Egypt nassérienne and of the Syria, and disappeared in 1961, although Egypt continued to be called under this name until in 1971.

History

Reason of the union

Thought at the origin as the outline of a great federation including the unit of the Arab World, the republic is created the 1958, after the pressures carried by the anxious Syrian soldiers of the communist threat in their country, and who turn to Nasser.

Vis-a-vis the axis Hachémite of the Jordan and Iraq which were pro-American, the Syrians decide for the unit between Egypt and their country. In 1955 a first military treaty of alliance is signed between Syria and Egypt. Michel Aflaq, founder of the Parti Baath estimates that fusion between the two countries must be done because the interior tensions due to the Cold war are increasingly strong. Even if it is not convinced of the capacity of Nasser to unify the Arab world, it disregards its feeling and meets at the time of a lunch in Cairo, Nasser which lays down the conditions of the union.

Nasser accepts the principle of the unit but requires a State strongly centralized, a depolitized Syrian army and that Syria passes under a mode of sole party to the image of Egypt. In spite of the reserve of the president of the republic, Shukri Al-Kuwatli and of its Prime Minister Sabri Assali, the two men accept the union.

Formation of the union

The Syrian Parliament ratifies the union with nearly 93%, the Syrian voters say yes to the union by referendum to more than 92%.

A State unified between the two countries is created, with Cairo like Capitale. The February 22nd, a referendum carries Nasser to the capacity. Following fusion, demonstrations of joy bursts in many Arab country, but also the riots in Iraq, or of the demonstrators ask the end of the Pacte of Baghdad, the resignation of Noury Said and the integration of Iraq in this new republic. The July 14th, the government of Noury Said is reversed. With the Yemen of the south a unionistic revolt bursts, but it is repressed in blood by the British forces. This revolt opposes the republicans supported by Nasser, and the Yemeni dynasty supported by its Saoudi neighbor. In Lebanon agitation is with its roof and weakens Community balance.

Already close to: 300000 Lebanese make displacement to Damas to celebrate the proclamation of the republic. Cleavage between unionistic and regionalistic is accentuated and chair it Camille Chamoun causes an outcry by violating the constitution and by aspiring to a second mandate.

The May 8th 1958, the flag of the RAU is hoisted on the citadel of Tripoli, and of the engagements burst in the Lebanese big cities, between partisans of the president the Arab Chamoun and nationalist militia ordered by Rachid Karamé and Fouad Chehab.

The baathists Lebanese who enter the conflict, receive weapons and money coming from Damas. In front of agitation, Chamoun announces to give up has to be represented. But the fall of king d' Irak revives the tensions. President Chamoun manages to convince American whom the insurrectionists are handled by Nasser. July 15th, American sends nearly 5400 marine on the beaches of Beirut. As for English, they send 2000 parachutists to Amman, to avoid with the king Hussein of Jordan undergoing the same fate as the king Fayçal.

In Iraq, the young republic is known fragile and agreements are concluded between the Head of Iraqi State and Nasser for adhesion from this country. As of October 1958, economic agreements, scientific and cultural are concluded. But not wanting to give up the capacity, the general Kassem moves away from Egypt to approach the Soviet Union.

The purpose of the RAU is to apply the theories of the Arab Socialisme, which refuses the Class struggle and the Dictatorship of the proletariat. It acts contrary to supporting the national union by the social justice and the equality of the citizens. Hostile with the private property, Arab socialism accepts those resulting from the production work. The non-exploiteuses properties are maintained. The individual remains the base of the company. The State is not totalitarian but regulating and distributer, although it can be repressive.

In Syria, the joy leaves place to pessimism quickly, Nasser eclipses little by little the Baath party which was voluntarily disorganized under the order of Aflaq as a political clout and the Egyptian bureaucracy chokes by its presence the Syrian administration which feels quickly annexed. Syria is then invaded Egyptian officers and bureaucrats, who for were most of the time corrupted and unable. By a circular Baath interns wonders whether Nasser really acts for the interest panarabe.

The dissensions between Baath and Nasser involves a repression against the militants of left, the Communiste S initially and Baath then. The independent ones are driven out by a second office controlled by the Amer marshal.

The authoritarianism of the mode of Nasser involves the escape towards the foreigner of the Syrian big families, which involves serious economic difficulties. The companies are submerged by a bureaucracy meddles and corrupted. The prices and the taxes are in rise, the difficulties of provisioning are worsened by three years of exceptional dryness.

However, the new State resembles more and more large Egypt, entirely régentée by Cairo. Syria feels colonized. Consequently, a new military coup d'etat, carried out by Haydar Al-Kouzbari bursts in Syria in 1961, putting fine at the republic the September 29th of the same year.

Reasons of the failure

For the baasists the failure of the RAU is with three things:

• the first reason resides in the fact that Egypt wanted to even federate the Arab world around it, whereas it did not have the economic and financial means of them. She wanted to impose her hegemony in the area by the way of the Panarabisme. She was thus unable to give birth to among Arabs a hope from change.

• the second reason is of an institutional nature. Nasser imposed on Syria an authoritative bureaucracy, and a mode under sole party, the Arab socialist Union, a party founded in all haste for the creation of the RAU. The baasists explain that a true political party close to the people should have existed to explain all the political changes with the Syrians. Aflaq and Hourani denounced as of 1956 the authoritative character of the new Egyptian constitution which prevent the real participation of the people.

• the third reason is that Egypt is neither a diplomatic power, nor a military power.

Egypt continued nevertheless to be called thus until in 1971.

United Arab Republic and UNO

Entered with the United Nations the October 24th 1945, Egypt and Syria were founding members of this organization. After the plebiscite of the February 21st 1958, Egypt and Syria linked themselves to form United Arab Republic, which continued to be represented with the organization with a single seat. The October 13rd 1961, Syria recovered its statute of independent and taken again State its seat with the United Nations. The September 2nd 1971, United Arab Republic changed its name into the Arab Republic of Egypt.