Council of the European Union General Secretariat READING REFERENCES 2020 Council Library THE EU & THE PERSIAN GULF Council of the European Union © Picture: Middle East with Countries - Single Color by FreeVectorMaps.com Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 175 - B-1048 Bruxelles/Brussel - Belgique/België Tel. +32 (0)2 281 65 25 Follow us http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/library-blog/ - #EUCOlibrary 1/71 Introduction The Persian Gulf has long been a hotspot of geopolitical interest. This year alone has seen sustained media interest in events in the Persian Gulf, including protests, the Iran plane crash and ongoing diplomatic conflicts. To comprehend this vibrant geographical area and its politics, one must gain insight into the region's history, the construction and interconnectedness of its different societies and cultures, the role of religion and the political bodies that exist in the Gulf. As such, the Council Library has compiled this reading list relating to the Persian Gulf. This extensive list has been created both for people who are new to the complex geopolitics of the Persian Gulf, and for those already familiar with the region and its geopolitics. It consists of various books and e-books, articles, podcast episodes, videos and think tank publications, varying from two-minutes' reading, listening or viewing time to more immersive material that can be accessed via the Council Library's online catalogue, Eureka. Resources selected by the Council Libraries Please note: This bibliography is not exhaustive; it provides a selection of resources made by the Council Library. Most of the titles are hyperlinked to Eureka, the resource discovery service of the Council Library, where you can find additional materials on the subject. Access to some resources might be limited to registered Council Library users or to users in subscribing institutions. The contents are the sole responsibility of their authors. Resources linked from this bibliography do not necessarily represent the positions, policies, or opinions of the Council of the European Union or the European Council. Reuse of the covers is prohibited, they belong to the respective copyrightholders. Additional resources may be added to this list by request - please contact the Council Library to suggest a title: [email protected] Council of the European Union Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 175 - B-1048 Bruxelles/Brussel - Belgique/België Tel. +32 (0)2 281 65 25 Follow us http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/library-blog/ - #EUCOlibrary 2/71 Table of Content Regional geopolitics & history………………………..….4 EU & the Persian Gulf………………….….…………….....9 Bahrain………………………………………………………..11 Bahrain and the EU Domestic affairs Foreign affairs Iran…………………………………………………………….15 Iran and the EU Domestic affairs Foreign Affairs Iraq…………………………………………………………….29 Iraq and the EU Domestic affairs Foreign affairs Kuwait………………………………………………………...42 Kuwait and the EU Domestic affairs Foreign affairs Oman …………………………………………………………45 Oman and the EU Domestic affairs Foreign affairs Qatar………………………………………………………….50 Qatar and the EU Domestic affairs Foreign affairs Saudi Arabia………………………………………………..55 Saudi Arabia and the EU Domestic affairs Foreign affairs United Arab Emirates…...………………………………..66 UAE and the EU Domestic affairs Foreign affairs © starline at freepik Council of the European Union Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 175 - B-1048 Bruxelles/Brussel - Belgique/België Tel. +32 (0)2 281 65 25 Follow us http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/library-blog/ - #EUCOlibrary 3/71 REGIONAL GEOPOLITICS & HISTORY External powers and the Gulf monarchies Jonathan Fulton ; Li-Chen Sim (Eds.) London; New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2019 Request via Eureka "The Gulf monarchies have been generally perceived as status quo actors reliant on the USA for their security, but in response to regional events, particularly the Arab Spring of 2011, they are pursuing more activist foreign policies, which has allowed other international powers to play a larger role in regional affairs. This book analyses the changing dynamic in this region. It contains empirical case studies that examine the relations between the Gulf monarchies and extra-regional powers, including the USA, Russia, China, India, Brazil, Turkey, Japan, South Korea, France, and the United Kingdom." The MENA Region: a great power competition Karim Mezran ; Arturo Varvelli (Eds.) Milan, Italy: Ledizioni LediPublishing ; Istituto per gli Studi di Politica Internazionale ; Atlantic Council, 2019 Access Online "This volume deals with competition among regional and external players for the redistribution of power and international status in the Middle East and North Africa, focusing on Russia’s renewed role and the implications for US interests. Over the last few years, a crisis of legitimacy has beset the liberal international order. In the context of global reassessment, the configuration of regional orders has come into question, illustrated by the current collapse in the Middle East. The idea of a ‘Russian resurgence’ in the Middle East set against a perceived American withdrawal has captured the attention of policymakers and scholars alike, warranting further examination. Chapter 5 analyses the Iraqi and Russian relationship. Chapter 8 looks at Russia’s influence in the Gulf, particularly in Iran." Council of the European Union Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 175 - B-1048 Bruxelles/Brussel - Belgique/België Tel. +32 (0)2 281 65 25 Follow us http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/library-blog/ - #EUCOlibrary 4/71 Ties that Bind: Family, Tribe, Nation, and the Rise of Arab Individualism Jon B. Alterman Center for Strategic & International Studies, December 2019 Video of Alterman the report Access Online "This study concludes that it is a mistake to assume that loyalty plays the same central role in Arabs’ lives that it did a generation ago. There are places and circumstances in which it does, but loyalty is a variable and not a constant. The author finds that individualism is on the rise in the region, affecting the way people relate to power and to each other. He argues that people are much more likely to rely on tribe and family in circum•stances where security, government capacity, and mobility is low. Urban elites in safe areas have a different set of attitudes than the poor and vul•nerable. Finally, Alterman finds that young people are showing a much wider range of attitudes toward loyalty and obligation than their elders, partly because of technology and partly be•cause of economics. The report includes case studies on the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia" The Gulf in world history: Arabia at the global crossroads Allen J, Fromherz Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2018 Request via Eureka "The Gulf sits at an ancient crossroads of cultures and faiths, and at the heart of modern trade stretching back to the origins of civilization. As a site of both conflict and peaceful encounter, it can be studied in the context of world history, as a place of cultural and historical encounter. From medieval astrology to museum architecture, from the trade of glass and pearls to the role of Indians, Africans, Christian monks, Mandaeans and merchants, this book spans historical periods and disciplinary approaches. It is united by one overarching theme: the Gulf as a cosmopolitan nexus and space of encounter. The chapters describe a Gulf simultaneously perched on the edge of empires and at the centre of world events. Presenting new evidence, new theoretical approaches, and new arguments, this volume aims to change understandings of the Gulf in the world." The Gulf Scramble for Africa: GCC states’ foreign policy laboratory Will Todman Center for Strategic & International Studies, November 2018 Access Online Council of the European Union Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 175 - B-1048 Bruxelles/Brussel - Belgique/België Tel. +32 (0)2 281 65 25 Follow us http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/library-blog/ - #EUCOlibrary 5/71 "Arab Gulf states are intervening more assertively in sub-Saharan Africa to capitalize on economic opportunities and protect their security interests. They view Africa as a relatively uncontested arena in which they can experiment with foreign interventions as part of their strategy to prove their rising status on the world stage. The author argues that the impact of Gulf states’ rivalries in Africa is becoming increasingly damaging, as their zero-sum rivalry has provoked retaliations, which have dangerously destabilized vulnerable parts of Africa, such as during the fallout to the GCC crisis." The Gulf monarchies' armed forces at the crossroads David B. Roberts Institut français des relations internationales, 2018 Access Online "Traditionally, the armed forces of the Gulf monarchies played an incidental role when it comes to securing the states. The ultimate fighting power of the monarchies was relatively unimportant; rather, the monarchies’ security was derived from international relations that were sometimes founded on, and often sustained and fed by, ongoing military sales. But, for some monarchies at least, this is changing. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are now deploying their own forces in hitherto unseen kinetic ways, as in Yemen, indicating that they genuinely seek their own fighting power. In the midst of the Gulf crisis, Qatar has doubled down on defence procurement both to boost its military and to increase its international entanglements." The intra-GCC crises: mapping GCC fragmentation after 2011 Cinzia Bianco ; Gareth Stansfield International Affairs, 2018, Vol. 94(3), pp.613-635