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Dr. Cinzia Bianco Profile picture
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3 Sep, 5 tweets, 8 min read
#EU Foreign Ministers meet today for #Gymnich. They will discuss #Afghanistan. But then they will discuss the #Gulf. This is a rare occurrence - EU Ministers have discussed #JCPOA often but very rarely regional geopolitics between the #GCC, #Iraq & #Iran. They do now because… ⬇️
…because of the #Baghdad_summit last week and #France’s involvement in it. Most in #EU that #Iraq can be the hub for regional diplomacy in the #Gulf, building on talks btwn #SaudiArabia & #Iran. Reality is that with no progress on #Yemen these talks are shallow but ⬇️
…but I welcome choice to discuss #Gulf geopolitics at a #EU level. Hope there is some realism in acknowledging this is a security matter, not a diplomatic misunderstanding. #US retrenchment will inevitably lead to more #Russia & #China in the Gulf. It is already happening. So ⬇️
So at this #Gymnich the #EU should decide how important really is #Gulf stability for #Europe. If it is, there are things that can be done:
#Iran #SaudiArabia ⬇️
Pleased to hear that #EU High Rep for Foreign/Security Policy @JosepBorrellF will travel to #Iraq next week and then to the #UAE later. This is the first trip by a senior #EU official to the #GCC and perhaps the first-ever to discuss regional security in the #Gulf. #Iran

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More from @Cinzia_Bianco

Dr. Cinzia Bianco Profile picture
7 Oct 20
The moment we were waiting for has come. New #Kuwait Emir, #SheikhNawaf, nominates his brother Mishal Al-Ahmad as Crown Prince. He is a security person, w/past experience in the Interior Ministry and Deputy Chief of the Kuwaiti National Guard since 2004. Some thoughts. 1/
The National Assembly (NA) has to confirm Mishal al-Ahmad as #Kuwait CP with 2/3 majority. As @bmalsaif said, Emir prolonged term of the outgoing NA to Oct 20 coz it was the safer option - new Parliament likely to have more opposition members & elections vulnerable to meddling 2/
That #Kuwait Emir chose his brother Mishal al-Ahmed as CP, is in continuity w/agnatic seniority - he was also appointed CP by his brother #SheikhSabah. #GCC old generation thinking. Mishal was the only to accompany Sabah in the US for medical treatment, they were very close. 3/
Read 17 tweets
Dr. Cinzia Bianco Profile picture
11 Sep 20
On the #Trump-mediated normalization between #Bahrain & #Israel keep in mind that this is not unexpected or historic per se, but because there might be a #SaudiArabia angle. Me & @h_lovatt wrote it for @ECFRMena last month ecfr.eu/amp-article/co…
In fact, there was much to say about #Bahrain and #Israel in my June article for @ispionline, when #annexation was possibly imminent. Find the article here: ispionline.it/it/pubblicazio…
As my colleague reminds us:
Read 5 tweets
Dr. Cinzia Bianco Profile picture
7 Aug 20
#SaudiArabia FM Prince Faisal bin Farhan has been quite busy these days! Today in #Italy, right after #Cyprus and, before, a North Africa tour. On geopolitics, Riyadh and Rome have two major things to talk about: #Libya and #EastMed. Both have to do with #Turkey.
#Italy and #SaudiArabia do not traditionally have an in-depth, serious geopolitical engagement. This is for many reasons, many of which are common to other continental #Europe-an countries, excluding #France. I have analysed those in my @ECFRMena paper: ecfr.eu/publications/s…
This same paper is part of a wider effort, done within @ECFRMena, to provide ideas to the #EU and #Europe-an countries on how to engage geopolitically w/#GCC monarchies, who are now impactful players in the entire #MENA, including the #Mediterranean. ecfr.eu/publications/s…
Read 7 tweets
Dr. Cinzia Bianco Profile picture
24 Jul 20
🎙️New @arabdigest podcast: I discuss w/@BillLaw49 about how a #US retrenchment from the #MENA triggered a competition between #Russia #China #Turkey #Iran #UAE & #SaudiArabia to occupy vacuum and implications for #UK and #Europe. Highlights:
@ECFRMena
tinyurl.com/y2awxgd7
Yes I did really say "sometimes the #MENA region today seems like the Far West w/the Sheriff (#US) taking a nap". The multipolar competition deepened & entrenched conflicts in #Yemn, #Libya, #Syria and is extending towards the #HornofAfrica and #EastMed m.soundcloud.com/arabdigest/the…
While I recognize #Europe is not really a security/geopolitical player today, I also believe there is a space if Europeans can do serious diplomacy. Other players now how to fight not really how to solve conflicts... m.soundcloud.com/arabdigest/the…
Read 5 tweets
Dr. Cinzia Bianco Profile picture
27 Jun 20
Truly fascinating story linking #tech & #geopolitics, and involving #Gulf. #Google sponsors new undersea fiber optic cable connecting #Europe & #Asia, specifically #Italy & #India, via the #ArabianPeninsula. Should cut costs by 50% & really increase efficiency. Few details 👇 1/
The cable will be split in 2. Blue goes from #Italy to #Jordan (Aqaba) via #Israel and is done w/Telecom Italia. Raman goes from #India to Aqaba via #Oman & #SaudiArabia and done w/Omantel. The split is due to Saudi opposition of direct link to Israel (normalization, much?). 2/
The Blue-Raman cable will be the first connecting #Europe & #Asia to bypass #Egypt. All other cables do and in fact Egypt charges massively for access while also being the "biggest single-point-of-failure in the entire world." 3/
Read 5 tweets
Dr. Cinzia Bianco Profile picture
11 Jan 20
#SultanQaboos of #Oman died. The royal family chose Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq al-Said to succeed. Who is he? What does it mean? A thread 1/
First, the royal family was quick in agreeing to a successor. This portrays externally a show of unity that is very important in a volatile region and vis-à-vis concerns that neighbors like #SaudiArabia and #UAE would have likes to interfere in the process. #Oman closed ranks. 2/
#SayyidHaitham was among those considered likely successors of #SultanQaboos for years. He has a quiet personality and an immense culture. Oxford-educated, very close to the British royals, he lacks the military background that other major candidates had. This sends a message! 3/
Read 13 tweets

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