The EU and the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC – Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar) celebrated this Tuesday a “new era” in relations between two strategic regions with strong shared interests , both geopolitical and economic, after the first summit of leaders of both blocks was held in Brussels. The meeting had generated a good dose of anxiety due to the recognized differences between the two regions, especially in the main international conflicts of the moment: Ukraine – whose president, Volodymyr Zelensky, arrives this Thursday in Brussels – and the Middle East, but which despite They seek a mutually beneficial approach in terms of trade or investments (the EU is the second largest trading partner of the GCC countries, 170 billion euros in trade exchanges in 2023), connectivity or even the fight against climate change.
The dilemma has been resolved with a long joint declaration that involves a game of delicate balances to address all the problems that “concern” the two regions, with the commitment to seek solutions – such as the joint call for an immediate ceasefire in the East Next—, but without reaching outright condemnations of some of the most prominent actors, from Russia to Iran or Israel. Likewise, at the meeting they have tiptoed around the presence in Brussels of one of the most controversial international figures: that of the Saudi crown prince Mohamed bin Salmán (MBS), considered responsible de facto of the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018.
“The leaders have not shied away from acknowledging that the two parties have different views on some issues,” EU sources point out and the GCC corroborates. Even so, “they agree that both blocs seek to contribute to prosperity, peace and cooperation,” they add. “We have managed to find a common language for the most pressing issues,” the high representative for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, celebrated at the end of the meeting.
“We want more stability, more security, more prosperity and more respect for international law,” said the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, at the beginning of an event that, paradoxically, has meant the official reception in the capital of Europe of Bin Salman. Declared a political pariah since the murder of Khashoggi, since the Russian offensive in Ukraine began, the Saudi crown prince has been progressively rehabilitated by the West, from US President Joe Biden to Frenchman Emmanuel Macron. In Brussels, he was received by both Michel and the president of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and posed smiling alongside the other leaders in the family photo, where he arrived chatting with the French president and where he posed next to the president of the European Council.
The declared will of the Twenty-Seven was to try to “attract” the GCC to its positions regarding the conflict in Ukraine, although they have shown themselves aware of the good relations of the Gulf countries with Russia and the difficulty this represents when issuing a statement critical of the Kremlin. This problem has been reversed when it comes to addressing the other major world conflict, that of the Middle East, due to the much more critical position towards Israel in this region than that maintained by some European countries – such as Hungary, Germany, Austria or Czech Republic—which until now has strongly limited the EU’s critical tone towards the Jewish State. “It is important to underline the seriousness of Israel’s crimes perpetrated against civilians. We call on the EU to unite the world to find a two-state solution,” declared the Emir of Qatar and current president of the GCC, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, who also thanked “all the countries that have recognized the Palestinian State”, like Spain, and has called on others “to follow its example”.
The Gulf countries, meanwhile, are much more careful with their words when it comes to Iran’s role in the conflict than Europe. “We must do everything in our power and mobilize all our diplomatic capabilities to stop the extremely dangerous escalation with Iran now launching a massive ballistic attack against Israel or the Houthis attacking our ships and disrupting navigation,” Von der claimed. They read.
The final declaration is, in this sense, a balancing exercise in which all the issues are touched on, but in a diplomatic and long-worked language – the final text has not been ready until practically the end of the appointment – that allows everyone affirm that it has been possible to reach closer positions without necessarily irritating the leaders of the aforementioned countries.
Regarding Russia’s war against Ukraine, except specifically condemning “attacks against civilians and critical civilian infrastructure, especially in the energy sector,” the statement is in line, above all, with United Nations resolutions on the conflict and “respect to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States”, as well as to the “principles of the United Nations Charter, international law and international humanitarian law”.
Regarding the Middle East, respect “by all parties” for international law is urged and, above all, an immediate ceasefire in both Gaza and Lebanon, steps prior to a solution that necessarily passes, the signatories emphasize, for the creation of two States. The two blocs have also condemned “all attacks against UN missions”, especially against the blue helmets of the Unifil mission in Lebanon, while expressing their support for the Palestinian Refugee Agency (UNRWA), harassed by Israel. . More restrained have been the words regarding Iran, a country with which they have stressed the importance of maintaining a “diplomatic commitment to achieve regional de-escalation”, although the two parties show their “clear determination that Iran should never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon”.
