Egypt-Gulf ties likely to restore balance in post- Islamist era

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Egypt-Gulf ties likely to restore balance in post- Islamist era

By Marwa Yahya (Xinhua) 08:25, August 06, 2013

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CAIRO, Aug. 5 -- Egypt's ties with Gulf states are likely to restore their balance after being stained with stalemate during the one-year rule of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, who was ousted by the military a month ago.

Features of openness in Egyptian-Gulf relations are "obvious" via Gulf countries' recent official visits, economic aids and support for the transitional roadmap in the turmoil-hit country, analysts say.

On Sunday, Egypt's Foreign Ministry spokesman Badr Abdel Aaty said several envoys from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar have recently visited Egypt for boosting bilateral relations and stressing full respect for the people's choice, while Egypt's Vice President for International Affairs, Mohamed ElBaradei, said "Gulf countries have the priority to overcome the deteriorated ties under Morsi's rule."

MORSI-ERA GULF POLICY

The Egyptian-Gulf relations are totally different after Morsi, said Mahmoud Shoukry, secretary general of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Relations, who predicted that "a new stage of successful relations is on the road."

Upon Morsi's support for hardline Islamic groups in Sinai Peninsula, some Gulf countries such as the UAE, Bahrain and Oman did not accept building good relations with the then ruling Muslim Brotherhood, Shoukry told Xinhua. But after the overthrow of the Islamist president, Saudi Arabia and some other Gulf states reconsider their relations with Egypt, bearing in mind the U.S. support for the transitional military-backed administration.

However, Egyptian-Gulf relations "have not reached the strength of (Hosni) Mubarak's era," he said, ruling out that "Gulf countries could risk their ties with Egypt."

There is no doubt that Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood did not realize the nature of the Arab system, especially the Gulf states which are afraid of the spillover of the so-called "Arab Spring," said Ahmed Baan, a political researcher at Nile Center for Strategic Studies.

"Morsi's performance gave the priority to the international organization of his group rather than administering normal ties with Arab countries," he said.

The ex-member of the Muslim Brotherhood said Gulf countries were worried about the increasing influence of the Islamist group in the UAE, where at least 94 Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated suspects have been arrested over conspiracy to topple the well- established royal regime.

RECENT GULF AIDS

Egypt's interim administration means an opportunity for Gulf countries to develop their relations with Egypt.

Seeking stability in the region, the Gulf states will exert much aids and efforts for reconciliation in Egypt, Shoukry said, adding that the Gulf's financial assistance implies tangible support for the transitional rulers of Egypt.

On July 10, Saudi Arabia ordered five billion U.S. dollars in aid package to Egypt, including two billion dollars in form of oil and gas products, two billion dollars as a deposit in the Central Bank of Egypt, and one billion as a grant; while the UAE has transferred, so far, three billion dollars in aid to Egypt, including a financial grant of one billion dollars and an interest- free loan of two billions.

Therefore, Baan noted that Egypt's relations with the Gulf states will be "economically" rather than "politically" motivated. But he also pointed out that the new administration has yet to show up its foreign policy.