Union of Arabian monarchs as a shield from Iranian threat

A regular meeting of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) has been recently held in Bahrain's capital Manama. A proposed union of Arab monarchies was the main topic of discussion. The talks have been held for about a year and the union seemed unreal because of existing differences in economic issues.

Of course, the cause of the increase in the seriousness of negotiations was due to a heightened threat from the Arab monarchs' enemy - Iran.

Even during the formation of the council in 1981, the main idea was to create an association to avoid Persian Gulf country involvement in the Iranian-Iraqi war. That time, the country's council could wait out the war without interfering in it and could more or less cordon themselves off from the consequences of war.

Current events in the GCC member countries, in particular, the Shiite protests in Bahrain last March could be an additional incentive for countries to join the union.

Moreover, Shiite MPs got the majority of seats in the parliament at the last parliamentary elections in Kuwait at the end of last month. This forced Saudi Arabia to think about the subsequent fate of the Sunni monarchs. Moreover, there have recently been renewed Shiite demonstrations in the eastern part of the country where most of the country's oil reserves are concentrated.

Saudi Arabia and other Gulf monarchies consider Iran to be the cause of some recent political changes and instability in the Gulf region. Thus, Saudi officials have repeatedly said that Iran is scheming to usurp the power of Sunni authorities in the Persian Gulf. Saudi Arabia itself must be the end point.

Apart from economic cooperation, today creation of a union between the two countries is particularly aimed at military and strategic partnership. Recently, during a meeting Saudi Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz noted that creation of a union is necessary to preserve stability and ensure security amid increased regional threats.

Joining together in a union, it will be easier for the kingdoms to control the political situation, and immediately provide the necessary assistance for stabilization of situation in a particular country, if necessary.

It must be noted that accession of Morocco and Jordan to the GCC as new member states is being discussed for two years already. It turns out that the union will be created not according to geographical factors, but by a system of government - monarchy.

At the same time, Jordan and Morocco are Sunni monarchies, which was, undoubtedly, the main reason for nomination of these countries as new members of the GCC.

Establishment of a union with participation of Jordan is very important for the strategic partnership of the union, as Jordan, where mass protests unfolded recently, is experiencing a difficult period, both in the economy and domestic policy, leading to a change of government three times in the past year.

Becoming alert due to the unrest in the neighboring kingdom, Saudi Arabia even invited a number of high-ranking military men and members of intelligence services from Jordan for developing further steps to prevent the continuation of protests in the country.

Moreover, the economic and energy cooperation between the two countries is also very important. Thus, owning huge reserves of hydrocarbons and significant economic potential, the countries could solve important issues such as the energy crisis in Jordan or lack of electricity in countries such as Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait on their own, without the help from Iran.

This way, the countries of the Council would also finally put an end to Iranian efforts to get closer with the countries of the region under the pretext of energy assistance to Jordan or implementation of the project for construction of common power network from Iran to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar.

Given the above mentioned facts, it can be assumed that, considering the threat of Iran's growing influence in the region, both in economic and political life of the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf, the unionization of Arab monarchs will happen very soon.


Aygul Taghiyeva/Trend/