Download NATO and the Greater Middle East

NATO and the Greater Middle East: a challenge for multilateral dialogue and a
need for a public diplomacy function
Donatella Scatamacchia
(Edited by J. Lindsay Kellock)
Since the end of its role as a collective Euro-
(ICI): which includes four of the six Gulf
centric defense alliance during the years of
Cooperation Council
bi-polar confrontation, the North Atlantic
Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab
Treaty Organization has sought an identity
Emirates. In each, the geopolitical context,
that will guarantee its future survival. The
the era and the premises of each diverge.
member
states, i.e.
organization’s new objective is to transform,
through global cooperation, from a collective
The Mediterranean Dialogue
defense organization to a collective security
The Mediterranean Dialogue was established
organization.
in
the
post-Cold-War
era,
when
the
Transatlantic Alliance faced two main issues.
Now that NATO has evolved to become a
First, in the Mediterranean region, it must
global security provider, the traditional lines
meet
of security, deterrence, defense and stability
framework for coalition making, given that
creation have blurred. NATO must re-define
the previous framework had been defined by
its
the Soviet threat. NATO’s main objective was
role
in
an
international
security
the
challenge
framework
a
new
for the objectives arising from its New
understanding of threats, to pave the way to
Strategic Concept. The focus will highlight
global
NATO’s role in the Mediterranean and in the
sought to avoid new polarizations, while
Middle East. In the specific context of the
seeking
Mediterranean
cooperation.
on
a
to
shared
Accordingly,
cooperation
between
NATO
former
(MD)
and
the
adversaries. This was done through the
Initiative
(ICI),
the
creation
Dialogue
Cooperation
a
define
environment, while ensuring positive support
Istanbul
build
to
of
new
Strategic Concept would focus on NATO’s
relationships,
role in the Greater Middle East and a policy
relationships, such as in the case of the
based
Partnerships
on
common
threats
and
shared
both
country-to-country
for
in
Peace,
co-operative
and
in
the
interests. Such a policy would require public
establishment of special relationships that
diplomacy action in both initiatives.
will serve to export stability to new member
In the
Greater Middle East, NATO is engaged in two
countries.
partnerships: the first, in the fourteen-yearold
Mediterranean
Dialogue
(MD), which
The second issue relates to a realistic
includes Algeria, Israel, Jordan, Morocco,
recognition
of
certain
features
of
the
Mauritania and Tunisia, and second, in the
Mediterranean geopolitical region and the
six-year-old Istanbul Cooperation Initiative
growth of its importance in terms of security.
As an area “in the middle of land”, still known
focused on such topics as defence reform,
as the cradle of civilisation, it was also viewed
interoperability, the fight against terrorism,
as a geo-political unitary region. However,
intelligence-sharing,
following the end of the Cold War, new
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction,
challenges for the States arose from the birth
monitoring
of a new global order. A resulting “fluidity” in
security, and assistance with civil emergency
the Mediterranean is reflected in a variety of
planning.
and
limitation
assistance
of
with
the
border
problems. These have caused a level of
instability and insecurity that call for a re-
NATO also sought to create strong ties with
evaluation of the region as a security priority.
the Countries of the Middle East, based on
Numerous factors can explain why and in
reciprocal trust and cooperation. However,
what ways the Mediterranean matters to
despite the similarity of its objectives for
NATO.
unresolved
both regions, that is, to promote governance
uncontrolled
and regional security, it is important to note
immigration from North Africa into European
that the MD and the ICI exist in separate
Union (EU); illegal drug and arms trafficking;
geopolitical contexts, and that these differ in
the risk of proliferation of weapons of mass
many respects. The MD offers a choice
destruction
between
These
include:
Palestine-Israeli
the
conflict;
and
the
importance
of
multilateral
and
bilateral
Mediterranean transit points. All are critical
approaches; the ICI offers only a bilateral
to the energy security of the West and to the
approach, despite the multilateral dimension
general stability of maritime trade routes.
of the partnerships.
These factors have led NATO to change its
approach to the region’s security needs and
Since the creation of the MD, the Countries of
to acknowledge the Mediterranean aggregate
the south shore of the Mediterranean Sea and
as a principal framework in which to test
NATO have increased the number of their
owner unity and efficiency.
joint activities. Today, these activities cover a
number
The Istanbul Initiative
The
Mediterranean
of
areas
of
cooperation,
from
ordinary military contact through exchanges
Dialogue,
established
of information on maritime security and anti-
within the context of a shift in international
terrorism,
and
access
to
educational
relations, and a moderately peaceful political
programs provided by Alliance institutions, to
climate, the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative
joint crisis management exercises.
(ICI) began in a climate of acute tension,
created
by
military
interventions
in
As for the ICI, its aim is to cooperate in
Afghanistan and Iraq and a intensifying
defined
technical
areas,
rather
than
to
Iranian nuclear crisis.
establish a dialogue between civilizations.
Nevertheless, there is an expanding dialogue,
Through the ICI, the Alliance tried to allay the
although the actual number of activities
fears of the Gulf oil monarchies that NATO
remains below that of the MD. If progress in
had undue influence over the region. They
practical
also
already
established
bilateral
cooperation,
and
been
bilateral
achieved
cooperation
in
both
has
the
Mediterranean Dialogue and the Istanbul
effective consultation, more focused activities
Cooperation Initiative, the same positive
and an individuated approach to cooperation.
achievements are relatively lacking in the
The
multilateral dimension of the Mediterranean
discussion has led to the upgrading of the
Dialogue.
Dialogue in Partnership (DP) established at
From this point of view and in the light of the
the
New Strategic Concept, I think that the
Essentially, this upgrading has enhanced
implementation of real political discussion
communication,
within the MD and the establishment of a
ambassadorial
multilateral approach within the ICI could
organization of ad hoc meetings at the
enhance the communication and cooperation
ministerial level. The results include the
of the partnerships.
intensification
The promotion of
decision
to
Istanbul
intensify
Summit,
in
through
level
of
the
June
2004.
meetings
at
through
the
and
the
political
confidence-building
multilateral cooperation within the ICI could
process. However, many of the problems of
facilitate
the Mediterranean Partners are domestic,
the
inclusion
of
a
political
dimension in relations between the West and
such
as
lack
of
legitimacy,
the Gulf States and form the first step in a
radicalism
graduated strategy to resolve the major
Confidence-building
difficulties of the partnership.
cannot resolve these. Urgently needed is a
and
economic
religious
problems.
instruments
alone
real synergy within the partnership to find
For example, one unresolved problem is the
equilibrium between hard and soft security.
absence from the Initiative of
This synergy can be reached only via a
the two
Countries, Saudi Arabia and Oman. Their
multilateral approach and political dialogue.
presence, especially that of Saudi Arabia,
could give the partnership sound guidance
The search for common threats and shared
for
interests with NATO and the West have the
constructive
consequently,
political
potential to facilitate implementation of the
the
multilateral framework of the partnerships,
countries of the Arabian Peninsula fear that
while defining the role of NATO in North
ICI progress may be made at the expense of
Africa
the GCC and that NATO engagement in their
complicated if we consider the following
region could reduce the importance of the
issues:
GCC's political framework. The role of Saudi
countries of two distinct geopolitical areas,
Arabia in promoting direct communication is
the Maghreb and the Mashrek. The concerns
crucial,
relevant
regional
given
critical
and,
to
increase
sufficient
dialogue
security.
the
mass
Indeed,
country’s
relevant
influence.
and
Middle
first
to
of
East. This
all,
those
the
MD
could
be
comprises
countries
are
not
necessarily identical. The Maghreb issues
include
economic
As for relations with the MD, it would be
society,
while
helpful
its
political issues and the Arab-Israeli peace
multilateral dimension with concrete action.
process. Secondly, at multilateral level there
Following 9/11, various measures have been
exists misunderstanding on issues relevant to
adopted
Mediterranean region, to NATO
were
to
NATO
promote
toimplement
more
regular
and
the
development
Mashrek
and
focuses
civil
on
member
states and above all, to European members
western Countries, their political support at
and the United States of America (USA).
In
NATO is limited by the negative perception of
any case, only a multilateral format for both
the masses and the élite. This situation leads
the Mediterranean Dialogue and the Istanbul
the Arab governments to adopt, in their
Cooperation Initiative will progress towards
policies and declarations, an attitude of
constructive dialogue, reciprocal confidence
ambiguity in which they tend to maximize the
and security building measures that fulfill the
positive aspects of the partnership like the
objectives of the Partnerships.
bilateral cooperation, on the one hand, and
minimize the problematic issues proper to a
the
political and multilateral dialogue, on the
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction
other. With such a negative image that NATO
constitute a threat both to the southern
has in the Middle East, the Alliance has little
Mediterranean and Middle-eastern countries
prospect of ever playing a constructive role in
and to NATO and the West. Consequently, the
the Greater Middle East.
Terrorism,
religious
extremism
and
multidimensional character of the security
environment in the Greater Middle East
In this context, to win the battle of narratives,
requires a comprehensive vision of security
in
and a shared problem-solving approach. In
identifiable adversary exists, NATO must
this respect, taking immediate steps towards
create a Strategic Concept that places strong
the engagement of the MD and ICI partner
emphasis on a public diplomacy function,
countries in Afghanistan could be helpful.
supported by an effective communications
a
post-Cold-War
era
in
which
no
strategy and plan.
The promotion of common actions in a
the
Public diplomacy is an essential, fundamental
the
function of the Strategic Concept. NATO must
Transatlantic Alliance. Generally, a gap exists
inform the world what NATO is and what are
between
its purposes. It must mobilize support at
multilateral
perception
dimension
of
Muslim
official
relates
countries
discourse
and
to
of
public
perception. There is widespread distrust
home
and
prepare
towards NATO on the part of both the public
engagement that will be as unpredictable, as
and the élite. The NATO image is damaged
it is demanding. In the case of the MD and
even further by the fact that the Alliance is
the ICI, work could improve the perception of
perceived as the “military arm of the US
NATO in the region. Such work should
policy in the Mediterranean”. NATO's image is
include conducting media and information
further adversely affected by the US military
campaigns; providing more Arabic, Internet-
presence in Iraq and US indulgence towards
based
Israeli policy. Despite the most realistic vision
activities, and by organizing regular annual
of governments, which for strategic reasons
seminars
prefer to maintain good relations with the
regional cooperation issues.
materials
and
the
about
debates
Alliance
NATO.
on
and
security
for
its
and