... states realized the need to be less dependent on the West and to pursue more independent policies. This is evident in the decision of the UAE and Bahrain to reopen embassies in Damascus in 2018, their ongoing efforts to foster economic cooperation with Syria, and the GCC states’ decision in 2022 not to join anti-Russian sanctions. So far, such pragmatism gives hope that the UAE will not backtrack on its recent decisions.
Rising role of regional powers
Increasing autonomy of the Gulf states gives more room for positive ...
... Russia and Turkey have become inalienable participants in the process of political settlement and post-conflict reconstruction in Syria. Considering the enormous amount of money needed to revive the country as well as the limited resources of Moscow and ... ... relations with all the regional powers. Regional affairs in 2017 were affected by the decision of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to isolate Qatar with a blockade. While Russia chose not to interfere in this regional conflict, Turkey largely sided ...
... all three influential external players with the region’s countries, many issues can be solved. In this context, it would be worth studying further the issue of creating a security architecture in the region.
Yulia Sveshnikova:
Iran’s Presence in Syria: Is It There for the Long Haul?
Moscow, Beijing and Washington could suggest setting up a security system in the Persian Gulf in the GCC+2 format (adding Iraq and Iran). In addition, Russia traditionally maintains working contacts with Saudi Arabia [
32
] and Iran [
33
]. Moreover, China is a key trading partner for these countries [
34
].
Efforts to reduce tensions between Riyadh ...
Despite differences over Syria and the Iranian nuclear deal, contemporary GCC-Russian relations are arguably at an apex, both in terms of shared interests and mutual understanding
Russian and GCC commentators are well-acquainted with the Western views regarding the GCC region. However, Russian and GCC commentators are comparatively ...
... Riyadh, because if these groups don’t show up in Geneva Iran will have a good reason to blame Saudi Arabia for derailing Syria talks over their own dispute.
Diplomatically Saudi Arabia has fallen into its own trap.
All in all, it seems that diplomatically ... ... embassy’s siege. Riyadh’s long-time ally the United States decided not to take sides in the conflict, while other GCC members only formally sided with their neighbor exposing the limitations of Saudi influence in the region.
... conflict on the side of Bashar and Iran, a recent poll in Saudi Arabia showed that Russia has become extremely unpopular
[11]
.
The GCC States have been involved in trying to settle the conflict in one way or another since the start of the protests in Syria. Each GCC State has played a different role with different levels of direct and indirect interaction. The two states which have invested the highest political and economic capital have been Saudi Arabia and Qatar
[12]
; providing hundreds of millions of dollars ...
... themselves. This became a first public display of a growing rift between Washington and the GCC.
The ties that have been weakening during Obama’s presidency have suffered a major blow due to Washington’s reluctance to stand by the Gulf states in Syria and more recently due to America’s decision to engage with Iran.
Reuters
US-produced systems will of course be playing
a key role in the development of GCC’s missile
defense. In fact, US arms contractors, for whom
the GCC is already a major client, stand to
benefit the most from the agreements reached
at Camp David.
The entire run-up to the summit turned out to be embarrassing for the White House....
