ABSTRACT
This chapter examines Cuba's bilateral relations with Middle Eastern countries. Cuba's military diplomacy in the Middle East started in 1973 when it sent an advisory mission to Aden. The 1972 visit was important for another reason. By 1972, the foreign policy differences which had pulled at the Cuban-Soviet partnership had been, for the most part, resolved. Military and security affairs dominated the relations between Cuba and the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY) during the initial years. Cuba-PDRY relations reveal important dimensions of Cuban-Soviet interaction. Cuba's policy toward third countries is both dependent on and independent from the Soviet Union. The agreement also singled out the contribution of the socialist nations to the struggle of the Arab people while emphasizing "the need to strengthen the unity of action of the non-aligned countries". The participation of Cuban forces in the Syrian-Israeli war of 1973 reveals salient features of Cuban foreign policy.
