On May 26, the GCC-Russia Strategic Dialogue ministerial meeting was held in Moscow. The meeting was marked by candid discussions about regional issues, as relations with Russia had seen sharp fluctuations over the past few years.
It was the first time such a meeting was held in Russia, which was in itself historical. It was also the first full-fledged strategic dialogue meeting between the foreign ministers since the first such meeting was held in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 1, 2011.
At the Abu Dhabi meeting, the GCC and Russia decided to enter into “strategic dialogue” and all-around cooperation. That cooperation was to include, beside political consultations, areas such as trade, energy, investment, science and technology, as well people-to-people contacts and business partnerships. A memorandum of understanding on all of this was signed at that meeting.
In November 2011, GCC-Russia dialogue was promising because there was some consensus on regional issues, including Syria: Then, Russia agreed that a formula similar to the GCC Initiative on Yemen would be suitable for Syria.
That all changed a few weeks later. Russia gradually shifted toward greater alliance with Assad, supplying him with military advisors and advanced weapons, culminating in September 2015 in an aerial campaign that quickly tipped the balance in his favor in the battlefield. Now there appears to be a slight opening to regain some of that consensus and resume discussions on wider cooperation.
On Syria, for example, the GCC and Russia agreed in Moscow on the need for a prompt end to the crisis — based on the Geneva Communiqué of June 2012 and Security Council resolutions 2254 and 2268. Reemphasis on (Geneva 1) is important as it calls for a full-fledged transitional authority. Equally important is Russia’s agreeing to distinguish between moderate opposition and terrorist groups, which were specified by name: Daesh and Al-Nusra Front. Before, Russia used to treat most opposition groups as terrorists. Third, Russia agreed to put emphasis on improving humanitarian conditions for Syrian refugees and support neighboring countries hosting them, something that Russia had not dealt with in the past.
On Iran, there was some progress as well. In a hint at Iran’s meddling and destabilizing activities in the region, Russia agreed that GCC-Iran relations must be “be based on the principles of good neighborhood, non-interference in internal affairs, respect of independency, sovereignty, territorial integrity, resolutions of disputes through peaceful means, according to the UN Charter and international law, and renouncing of and refraining from the use or threat of use of force or provocations that might undermine confidence and threaten security and stability in the region.”
Iran flouts these principles almost daily. It was also noteworthy that the ministers in their communiqué “emphasized their support for a peaceful solution between Iran and the UAE over the three islands Greater and Lesser Tunbs and Abu Musa, in accordance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations, including direct negotiations between the two parties.”
On Iran’s nuclear program, the ministers “underlined the need to address all environmental concerns of regional countries, including in the field of nuclear safety.”
And so on regarding other regional issues, progress was made towards relative consensus. As Russia is keen to improve its checkered image in the Muslim world, it has organized and took part in several conferences designed for Muslim-Russia dialogue, including activities carried out by the Group of Strategic Vision “Russia-Islamic World,” including conference held in Kazan on May 25-28, 2016, same time as the foreign ministers’ meeting.
Due to such rapprochement between Russia and the GCC, the foreign ministers agreed last week to continue “an active political dialogue” on regional and international issues. They also agreed to “help create a favorable climate” for greater trade and business partnerships in industry, transport, communications, agriculture, tourism, and health care.
They also agreed to continue energy cooperation, including in the field of peaceful use of nuclear energy, nuclear security and renewable energies, as well as in the fields of higher education and scientific research. There were other areas of cooperation as well. To insure proper design and implementation of such good intentions, the ministers agreed to complete a GCC-Russia Joint Action Plan for the Strategic Dialogue. It will be discussed and hopefully approved at the next ministerial meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in September 2016.
By many measures, the Moscow meeting was a success, but what is more important is actual implementation. On that depends the future of GCC-Russia relations and the proposed joint action plan.
It was the first time such a meeting was held in Russia, which was in itself historical. It was also the first full-fledged strategic dialogue meeting between the foreign ministers since the first such meeting was held in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 1, 2011.
At the Abu Dhabi meeting, the GCC and Russia decided to enter into “strategic dialogue” and all-around cooperation. That cooperation was to include, beside political consultations, areas such as trade, energy, investment, science and technology, as well people-to-people contacts and business partnerships. A memorandum of understanding on all of this was signed at that meeting.
In November 2011, GCC-Russia dialogue was promising because there was some consensus on regional issues, including Syria: Then, Russia agreed that a formula similar to the GCC Initiative on Yemen would be suitable for Syria.
That all changed a few weeks later. Russia gradually shifted toward greater alliance with Assad, supplying him with military advisors and advanced weapons, culminating in September 2015 in an aerial campaign that quickly tipped the balance in his favor in the battlefield. Now there appears to be a slight opening to regain some of that consensus and resume discussions on wider cooperation.
On Syria, for example, the GCC and Russia agreed in Moscow on the need for a prompt end to the crisis — based on the Geneva Communiqué of June 2012 and Security Council resolutions 2254 and 2268. Reemphasis on (Geneva 1) is important as it calls for a full-fledged transitional authority. Equally important is Russia’s agreeing to distinguish between moderate opposition and terrorist groups, which were specified by name: Daesh and Al-Nusra Front. Before, Russia used to treat most opposition groups as terrorists. Third, Russia agreed to put emphasis on improving humanitarian conditions for Syrian refugees and support neighboring countries hosting them, something that Russia had not dealt with in the past.
On Iran, there was some progress as well. In a hint at Iran’s meddling and destabilizing activities in the region, Russia agreed that GCC-Iran relations must be “be based on the principles of good neighborhood, non-interference in internal affairs, respect of independency, sovereignty, territorial integrity, resolutions of disputes through peaceful means, according to the UN Charter and international law, and renouncing of and refraining from the use or threat of use of force or provocations that might undermine confidence and threaten security and stability in the region.”
Iran flouts these principles almost daily. It was also noteworthy that the ministers in their communiqué “emphasized their support for a peaceful solution between Iran and the UAE over the three islands Greater and Lesser Tunbs and Abu Musa, in accordance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations, including direct negotiations between the two parties.”
On Iran’s nuclear program, the ministers “underlined the need to address all environmental concerns of regional countries, including in the field of nuclear safety.”
And so on regarding other regional issues, progress was made towards relative consensus. As Russia is keen to improve its checkered image in the Muslim world, it has organized and took part in several conferences designed for Muslim-Russia dialogue, including activities carried out by the Group of Strategic Vision “Russia-Islamic World,” including conference held in Kazan on May 25-28, 2016, same time as the foreign ministers’ meeting.
Due to such rapprochement between Russia and the GCC, the foreign ministers agreed last week to continue “an active political dialogue” on regional and international issues. They also agreed to “help create a favorable climate” for greater trade and business partnerships in industry, transport, communications, agriculture, tourism, and health care.
They also agreed to continue energy cooperation, including in the field of peaceful use of nuclear energy, nuclear security and renewable energies, as well as in the fields of higher education and scientific research. There were other areas of cooperation as well. To insure proper design and implementation of such good intentions, the ministers agreed to complete a GCC-Russia Joint Action Plan for the Strategic Dialogue. It will be discussed and hopefully approved at the next ministerial meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in September 2016.
By many measures, the Moscow meeting was a success, but what is more important is actual implementation. On that depends the future of GCC-Russia relations and the proposed joint action plan.
