Al-Monitor in Washington discussed issues related to US President Joe Biden’s upcoming visit to the Middle East in mid-July, his meeting with a number of leaders in the region, and the holding of a Gulf summit in Riyadh. The schedule of the US president’s visit, on his second day of his visit to Saudi Arabia, includes participation in a summit that includes the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, and Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi. The report said that the US-Gulf Summit, with the participation of three Arab leaders, will focus on a set of current issues in the region, especially with regard to strengthening regional cooperation to ensure security and safety. The report indicated that the summit will discuss a number of pivotal issues such as Iran, energy security, economic integration, infrastructure projects, climate and other joint projects.
* regional cooperation
The report said that Biden’s summit with the Gulf Cooperation Council countries will focus on advancing innovative initiatives for the region. And the report indicated that US President Joe Biden was asked if his upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia from July 15 to 16 has anything to do with energy, he replied: “No, the commitments of the Saudis are not related to anything related to energy .. What happens is that a larger meeting is being held In Saudi Arabia, and it is related to national security… In this “larger meeting”, which will include the heads of the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries, in addition to Egypt, Iraq and Jordan, the United States will discuss “new and promising” ways of cooperation, according to the White House
. With that in mind, here are trends to watch ahead of Biden’s trip to Saudi Arabia and the GCC summit:
The Iran Deal: Alive or Dead?
Biden’s trip will focus on Iran. But the nature of the talks may be affected by efforts to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (the nuclear deal), which could help revive the mitigation of the threat of nuclear proliferation and calm regional tensions.. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken was pessimistic, saying that developments were “moving in the other direction” away from reviving the revival of the nuclear deal. The deal .. But neither Washington nor Tehran closed the door to diplomacy. The deal was originally concluded in March, but has now been bogged down by “external” issues, such as the designation of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist group by the United States. An enhanced deterrent posture would complement the ongoing regional diplomatic efforts, including between Saudi and Iranian representatives in Baghdad, whether there is an agreement or not, diplomacy and deterrence are necessary in both cases, one reinforcing the other for the White House.
* The second file is Yemen
Giving peace a chance.. The cease-fire in Yemen, which has now continued for more than two months, is fragile, and it is a breakthrough for the Biden administration, which has made ending the war a top priority. Yemen, once described by the United Nations as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, now has a chance, but will its people remain in danger, in the absence of a peace agreement? Biden will rally Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council states to keep pace with the urgency and intensity needed to reach a final settlement in Yemen, and to keep Iran and the Houthis engaged in the process.
In addition to these issues, there will be other files on the table, especially since the important meeting will bring together the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council with the inclusion of Egypt, Iraq and Jordan in the Jeddah summit. It reflects a “big thinking” approach in the region, while recognizing the links and advantages of integration between the Gulf, the Levant and the Red Sea. A senior White House official said on June 13 that at the GCC summit, Biden will discuss, in addition to Iran and energy security, some of the very innovative initiatives that we are implementing, US Central Command, in the Red Sea; Some unique maritime task forces, which we will discuss on the security side; But also economic integration.. there are some really important infrastructure and climate projects that are being implemented across borders by capitals that are cooperating with each other in new and promising ways.
