UK £2 February 24, 2019 Issue 194, Year 4 www.thearabweekly.com EU €2.50 Debating Euro-Arab Egyptian developments summit petroleum in Sudan in Egypt minister Page 9 Page 18 Page 20 Crown prince leads Saudis’ Asia pivot amid regional tensions ► In his tour, Crown Prince Mohammed was enhancing his country’s diversification of its international relations in a way that matches the growing clout of Asian powers. Mohammed Alkhereiji that the visit was nudging Riyadh “The Saudi leadership recognises and Islamabad closer together. that it’s integral to diversify its re- Iran “dialled up the rhetoric” lationships,” Mohammed Turki London once it became “concerned that Pa- al-Sudairi, a Hong Kong-based re- kistan’s position may be shifting,” searcher for the King Faisal Centre audi Crown Prince Moham- wrote Middle East expert James for Research and Islamic Studies, med bin Salman bin Ab- Dorsey. told the New York Times. “The dulaziz has advanced Ri- Besides trying to pressure Is- message is that there are other op- S yadh’s Asia pivot campaign lamabad away from Riyadh, Tehran tions out there.” during a tour defined by many geo- reached out to China with Iranian The diversification drive has eco- political and economic considera- Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad nomic dividends as Saudi Arabia re- tions. Zarif visiting Beijing on the eve of defines its economic capabilities as Crown Prince Mohammed’s late- the Saudi crown prince’s visit. part of its Vision 2030 reform plan. February tour, which included During his China stop, Crown Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed stops in Pakistan, India and China, Prince Mohammed signed a $10 eight commercial agreements, coincided with mounting regional billion deal with Chinese authori- mainly concerning energy, sports tensions with a flurry of threats be- ties for a petrochemical complex, and mining, worth some $20 bil- tween Pakistan and both India and which was announced February 22 lion. The crown prince called it “a Iran. following his meeting with Chinese first phase.” President Xi Jinping. While in India, Saudi officials Najah al-Otaibi, Both countries also pledged to signed a memorandum of under- a senior analyst at work together on China’s multibil- standing pertaining to it joining the Arabia Foundation lion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative International Solar Alliance, which Is the crown prince’s tour and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 pro- it views as necessary to lessen its symbolic of Saudi Arabia’s gramme. domestic energy consumption. pivot to the East? Yes. There was more than economics The two countries, which initiat- in the Asia tour. Riyadh agreed to ed a $44 billion oil refinery project India vowed to retaliate against shore up cooperation with Pakistan in Maharashtra last April, report- Pakistan for the February 14 terror and India on counterterrorism mat- edly discussed $100 billion worth of attack in Kashmir during which 41 ters. investments during Crown Prince Indian paramilitary members were Beyond the individual visits to Mohammed’s stop in New Delhi. killed. Islamabad, Delhi and Beijing, many Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser, Tensions were also high between experts saw a Saudi pivot to Asia in speaking February 20 at the Saudi- Tehran and Islamabad. Just before the crown prince’s tour. India Forum in New Delhi, said the crown prince’s visit, a suicide “Is the crown prince’s tour sym- economic power was shifting from attack in Zahedan, in south-eastern bolic of Saudi Arabia’s pivot to the West to East. Iran, killed at least 27 members of East? Yes,” Najah al-Otaibi, a senior Nasser’s assessment was il- Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard analyst at the pro-Saudi think-tank lustrated during the final stop of Corps. Arabia Foundation, told Agence Crown Prince Mohammed’s Asia Diversification strategy. Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets France-Presse. Jaish al-Adl, a jihadist group that trip. China is the kingdom’s biggest with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz at In his tour, Crown Prince Moham- operates along the Iranian-Paki- trading partner and an economic the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, February 22. (SPA) stani border, claimed responsibility med was enhancing his country’s and military superpower. and Iran threatened Pakistan with diversification of its international “This was a ‘win friends and in- retaliation unless it acted against relations in a way that matches the fluence people’ type of tour,” James the front foot again.” Europe that you can go elsewhere if the group. growing clout of Asian powers and Crabtree, a professor at the Lee Crabtree said the US-Saudi you need to.” While it said it would try to de- helps the kingdom weather the Kuan Yew School of Public Policy relationship remains the criti- escalate tensions between Pakistan strains in ties with Western allies at the National University of Singa- cal relationship for Riyadh “but Mohammed Alkhereiji is the Gulf and India, Saudi Arabia could only since the killing of Saudi journal- pore told Bloomberg TV. “This trip you want to have options and dif- section editor of The Arab Weekly. dismiss Iranian accusations, which ist Jamal Khashoggi last October in has been a big success. It has put ferent relationships and you want seemed to reflect Tehran’s concerns Istanbul. him [Crown Prince Mohammed] on to show your critics in America and P2 Widening protests in Algeria over Bouteflika’s re-election bid Lamine Ghanmi abroad as protests spread from tra- before the April 18 presidential warned that the protests could be- thousands were killed had made ditional opposition strongholds to election. come violent. many Algerians reluctant to take other cities. He said “enemies Bouteflika, who turns 82 on “Many are fearful… that the situ- to the streets to challenge Boutef- Tunis from within” were attempt- March 2, has suffered from a series ation will slip out of control before lika’s government until now. ing to disrupt the process of health problems, including a the fateful date of April 18,” said However, about 25% of Algerians lgerians are increasingly stroke that left him confined political writer Mourad Slimani. under 30 are unemployed in the taking to the streets to to a wheelchair in 2013 “The experience of past unrest oil and gas-rich country and many protest President Ab- and has rarely been since showed that controlling tensions is of them have no recollection of A delaziz Bouteflika’s bid in public since. Bouteflika unpredictable since the authorities the fight for independence or the to seek a fifth term in office. -Dem was scheduled to travel are going blindly ahead with the “black decade” of the 1990s. onstrations took place February to fifth mandate.” There is concern that protests 22 across the country, including in Swit- Protests broke out February 22, “could be manipulated by activists Algiers, Oran, Tizi Ouzou, Bejaia, zerland especially in villages and towns in of the former FIS,” said political Annaba and Setif. in late Feb- the Berber-speaking Bejaia region, writer Hassan Saadoun. FIS is the Riot police used tear gas to dis- ruary for “rou- where the separatist Movement for French acronym of the Islamic Sal- perse crowds. Additional pro- tine medical checks,” the Autonomy of Kabylie is strong, vation Front, which was banned tests were expected. his office said. A Algerian media reported. by the military-backed authorities “No to Bouteflika and no government state- “No to the fifth mandate. No to in 1992. to Said,” crowds shouted in Al- ment said Boutef- the shame and humiliation,” dem- Most opposition leaders and giers, referring to the man who has lika would have onstrators shouted. independent figures opposing been Algeria’s president since 1999 a “short” stay in A pamphlet against Bouteflika’s Bouteflika’s re-election refused and his brother Said, a presidential Geneva. He went to fifth term handed out by protest- to attend a meeting organised by adviser. Switzerland for five ers warned against radical Islam- Islamist leaders February 20 in Al- Demonstrators were not dis- days last August for ists bent on fomenting violence. giers to forge a consensus around suaded by mosque preachers who medical tests. Many Islamist leaders from Al- a common opposition presidential warned of the possibility of vio- Growing rejection. Protesters shout slogans Bouteflika’s cam- geria took refuge abroad after the candidate. lence. during a demonstration to denounce paign chief Abdel- Algerian military defeated extrem- Algerian military chief General President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s bid for a malek Sellal, a for- ists in a civil war. Memories of that Lamine Ghanmi is an Arab Weekly Ahmed Gaid Salah cut short a trip fifth term in Algiers, February 22. (AP) mer prime minister, 1991-2002 war in which tens of correspondent in Tunis. 2 February 24, 2019 Cover Story Saudi Pivot to Asia Asia tour sets tone for future Saudi ties with Pakistan, India Sabahat Khan as well as around $3 billion as de- ferred oil payment facility. Saudi Minister of State for For- Dubai eign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir said the “investment was for the benefit of sia’s booming economies the two countries.” However, there create exciting opportu- is a growing strategic undertone to nities for Riyadh to build the direction of Saudi Arabia’s ties A partnerships and share with Pakistan. the dividends. Saudi Crown Prince The formation of the Saudi-Pak Mohammed bin Salman bin Ab- Supreme Coordination Council dulaziz’s high-profile tour of Asia was announced. It will meet quar- aims to overcome interregional terly and have ten working groups hostilities and set the tone for the coordinating areas such as defence, future, especially in the context of security, intelligence and energy Pakistan and India.