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Gulf crisis: Wests keen eye on strategic and economic benefits
Global Village Space |
M. K. Bhadrakumar |
The failure of the mission to the Gulf by the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to resolve the rift between Qatar and the ‘boycotting states’ – Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt – was an outcome that could have been foretold. The UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr Anwar Gargash tweeted on Friday no sooner than Tillerson’s jet headed for Washington:
The four boycotting countries have each and every right to protect themselves, shut down their borders and safeguard their stability.
Read more: US moves to break deadlock in Gulf Crisis
Le Drian said in Doha, “France is calling for these measures (by the boycotting states) to be lifted.”
Qatar has put a hell of a lot of money in the French kitty – arms deals, investments and so on. Unsurprisingly, Le Drian said in Doha, “France is calling for these measures (by the boycotting states) to be lifted.” It costs him nothing to say so. From Qatar Le Drian proceeded to Saudi Arabia where he met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
France and Britain seeking to play a mediating role
France is aiming at a big expansion of business ties with Saudi Arabia within the ambit of MbS’s pet project ‘Vision 2030’. In 2015 France and Saudi Arabia agreed in principle on a massive arms deal worth $12 billion.
In remarks to reporters Saturday evening, Le Drian said France seeks to play a supportive role to Kuwaiti-led mediation efforts to reduce tensions. France’s relations with Saudi Arabia are also very substantial. France is aiming at a big expansion of business ties with Saudi Arabia within the ambit of MbS’s pet project ‘Vision 2030’. In 2015 France and Saudi Arabia agreed in principle on a massive arms deal worth $12 billion.
Imperial Britain handpicked the Al Thani tribal chieftain as Qatar’s hereditary ruler. Under the trucial system as per the 1916 treaty, Qatar relinquished its autonomy in foreign affairs, such as the power to cede territory, and other affairs, in exchange for Britain’s military protection from external threat.
As soon as Le Drian leaves the region, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson will be arriving. Britain, of course, was the original creator of the state of Qatar one century ago. Imperial Britain handpicked the Al Thani tribal chieftain as Qatar’s hereditary ruler. Under the trucial system as per the 1916 treaty, Qatar relinquished its autonomy in foreign affairs, such as the power to cede territory, and other affairs, in exchange for Britain’s military protection from external threat.
Today Britain keeps an air base in Qatar and the military ties continue to be very close. Trade is not much, but Qatar is a major investor in Britain, while British-Dutch oil major Royal Dutch Shell is the second biggest investor in Qatar (after Tillerson’s old firm ExxonMobil.)
Read more: The Gulf crisis: A coming out of small states
Johnson’s Saudi visit has a piquant backdrop. British government is sitting on an inquiry report into Saudi funding for extremist Islamist groups in UK due to its “sensitive contents” that might derail a lucrative $4 billion dollar arms deal between London and Riyadh.
At the bilateral level with the Gulf countries even as Qatar and Saudi Arabia will bend over backward to secure the endorsement from them for their respective case in the rift.
Indeed, the ‘new normal’ in the Gulf may work just fine for the Western powers, creating new space for them to negotiate their business interests at the bilateral level with the Gulf countries even as Qatar and Saudi Arabia will bend over backward to secure the endorsement from them for their respective case in the rift. Britain’s cynical attitude to the Saudi support for terrorism or the Trump administration’s ambivalence toward the US legislation that allows families of the 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia can be regarded as typical attitudes where business interests trump political morality.
Read full article:
Gulf crisis: Wests keen eye on strategic and economic benefits
Global Village Space |
M. K. Bhadrakumar |
The failure of the mission to the Gulf by the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to resolve the rift between Qatar and the ‘boycotting states’ – Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt – was an outcome that could have been foretold. The UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr Anwar Gargash tweeted on Friday no sooner than Tillerson’s jet headed for Washington:
The four boycotting countries have each and every right to protect themselves, shut down their borders and safeguard their stability.
- We are headed for a long estrangement. We are very far from a political solution involving a change in Qatar’s course, and in light of that, nothing will change and we have to look for a different format of relations… The four boycotting countries have each and every right to protect themselves, shut down their borders and safeguard their stability. The measures they had taken, in this context, will continue and will be boosted… We are moving towards a boycott, which will prolong on the basis of the evidences before us. As Qatar cries over political sovereignty, the four states are also exercising their sovereignty.
Read more: US moves to break deadlock in Gulf Crisis
Le Drian said in Doha, “France is calling for these measures (by the boycotting states) to be lifted.”
Qatar has put a hell of a lot of money in the French kitty – arms deals, investments and so on. Unsurprisingly, Le Drian said in Doha, “France is calling for these measures (by the boycotting states) to be lifted.” It costs him nothing to say so. From Qatar Le Drian proceeded to Saudi Arabia where he met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
France and Britain seeking to play a mediating role
France is aiming at a big expansion of business ties with Saudi Arabia within the ambit of MbS’s pet project ‘Vision 2030’. In 2015 France and Saudi Arabia agreed in principle on a massive arms deal worth $12 billion.
In remarks to reporters Saturday evening, Le Drian said France seeks to play a supportive role to Kuwaiti-led mediation efforts to reduce tensions. France’s relations with Saudi Arabia are also very substantial. France is aiming at a big expansion of business ties with Saudi Arabia within the ambit of MbS’s pet project ‘Vision 2030’. In 2015 France and Saudi Arabia agreed in principle on a massive arms deal worth $12 billion.
Imperial Britain handpicked the Al Thani tribal chieftain as Qatar’s hereditary ruler. Under the trucial system as per the 1916 treaty, Qatar relinquished its autonomy in foreign affairs, such as the power to cede territory, and other affairs, in exchange for Britain’s military protection from external threat.
As soon as Le Drian leaves the region, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson will be arriving. Britain, of course, was the original creator of the state of Qatar one century ago. Imperial Britain handpicked the Al Thani tribal chieftain as Qatar’s hereditary ruler. Under the trucial system as per the 1916 treaty, Qatar relinquished its autonomy in foreign affairs, such as the power to cede territory, and other affairs, in exchange for Britain’s military protection from external threat.
Today Britain keeps an air base in Qatar and the military ties continue to be very close. Trade is not much, but Qatar is a major investor in Britain, while British-Dutch oil major Royal Dutch Shell is the second biggest investor in Qatar (after Tillerson’s old firm ExxonMobil.)
Read more: The Gulf crisis: A coming out of small states
Johnson’s Saudi visit has a piquant backdrop. British government is sitting on an inquiry report into Saudi funding for extremist Islamist groups in UK due to its “sensitive contents” that might derail a lucrative $4 billion dollar arms deal between London and Riyadh.
At the bilateral level with the Gulf countries even as Qatar and Saudi Arabia will bend over backward to secure the endorsement from them for their respective case in the rift.
Indeed, the ‘new normal’ in the Gulf may work just fine for the Western powers, creating new space for them to negotiate their business interests at the bilateral level with the Gulf countries even as Qatar and Saudi Arabia will bend over backward to secure the endorsement from them for their respective case in the rift. Britain’s cynical attitude to the Saudi support for terrorism or the Trump administration’s ambivalence toward the US legislation that allows families of the 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia can be regarded as typical attitudes where business interests trump political morality.
Read full article:
Gulf crisis: Wests keen eye on strategic and economic benefits
