EU and GCC Strategic Interests in the Mediterranean: Convergence and Divergence

While sharing a number of interests in the Mediterranean and Middle East region, the EU and the Gulf Cooperation Council have pursued different patterns of strategic concerns and relations. Nevertheless, a potential for developing common EU-GCC perspectives exists, as the Mediterranean and Middle East region are both part of the EU and the GCC neighbourhood and are a common location for investment. Diplomatic convergence on a number of issues could contribute to improving security and political cooperation as well, despite the fact that this is stymied by divergent views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Paper presented at the seminar "The Mediterranean: Opportunities to Develop EU-GCC Relations?", Rome, 10-11 December 2009, organised by the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI) within the framework of the Al Jisr project. Published in: Roberto Aliboni (ed.), The Mediterranean: Opportunities to Develop EU-GCC Relations?, Roma, IAI, 2010, p. 69-76 (IAI Quaderni English series 18).