Countries of the Entente offered Russia in 1921 to participate in an international conference, the purpose of which was the settlement of disputes over economic claims of Western countries against the Russian state.In the event of these claims the European countries would accept the official Soviet Russia.The conference was opened in Genoa in early April.The event was attended by twenty-nine countries.Among them was England, Russia, Germany, France and other states.
the joint request of the Western powers in Russia were to compensate for a long time and the tsarist government (eighteen billion gold rubles), the return of property nationalized by the Bolsheviks the western region of the former Russian empire.In addition, Western countries demanded the abolition of the monopoly on foreign trade, opening the way for foreign capital, as well as the cessation of revolutionary propaganda in their states.
In response, the Soviet government demanded compensation for the damage caused by foreign intervention during the Civil War (thirty nine billion rubles), to ensure broad economic cooperation on the basis of long-term loans of the West.Among the conditions were put forward and the adoption of the Soviet program of general reduction in armaments and the prohibition of the most barbarous methods of military operations.
Thus, in view of mutual unwillingness to go for a political compromise, the negotiations reached an impasse.At the same time there has been a split among the Western powers during the conference.Irritation of the Entente over the lack of results at the meetings was compounded by the success of the Bolsheviks used the tactics of "playing on the contradictions between the imperialists."
In between the plenary sessions of the conference April 14, 1922 on the outskirts of Genoa, the German Foreign Minister Rathenau and the People's Commissar of Foreign Affairs of Soviet Russia Chicherin signed a bilateral treaty (Treaty of Rapallo) the mutual termination of the nomination requirements.Waiver included a waiver of reparations claims, as well as the restoration of diplomatic relations.By signing the Treaty of Rapallo, Soviet Russia was recognized by Germany, de jure (legally).
Because of its difficult economic and political situation, Germany was forced to cooperate with Russia.In addition, the Treaty of Rapallo of performing the task of Lenin split the ranks of capitalists.
Later, in 1924, are very interested in trade relations with Russia, England first formally recognized the existence of the Soviet state.Her example later followed by France, Italy and other world powers.
Undoubtedly, the Treaty of Rapallo became a successful diplomatic step of Soviet Russia.As a result of the signing of the waiver Germany, Western countries could not form a unified position on the issue of return of nationalized property in Russia.At the same time, the failure of the Moscow government from those anticipated by the Versailles reparations agreement undermines the position of Germany's share of the French government, demanding reparation payments from Berlin continue.
At the same time, an agreement in Rapallo had unimportant and negative consequences.With it began signing of cooperation between Russia and Germany on the basis of antiversalskoy.Military-technical, economic and cultural ties between the two countries began to grow rapidly.In addition, a joint Russian-German military-training specialists.Between Germany and Russia, in spite of the prohibitions of Versailles, it was found a secret partnership, which lasted until the arrival of Nazism.
Treaty of Rapallo in 1922 gave France reason to be afraid of Russian-German relations.
