Arab summit amid increasing divisions

Today on 25 March the heads of state of the 22 Arab League countries meet in Kuwait for a two day summit. Several issues including developments in Egypt and Syria divide them. Three members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) withdrew their ambassadors from another member Qatar on 6 March. They are against Qatar’s support of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. Saudi Arabia fears the changes of regime brought by the Arab spring, while Qatar says its policy is “openness towards all”.

Crown Prince Salman of Saudi Arabia

The Emir of Kuwait al-Sabah has been mediating the conflict and opened today’s meeting stroke a conciliatory tone and asked for unity.  But the parties seem to be entrenched in their positions; Qatar gave the Muslim Brotherhood government under President Morsi $8 billion in aid and loans. But after the ousting of Morsi the Egyptian government returned $2 billion in aid, even though they desperately need them and will not send its ambassador back to Doha. Saudi Arabia and the UAE on the other hand pledged the new Egyptian government that followed the coup against Morsi $12 billion. Saudi Arabia has followed the new Egyptian government in calling the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group.

Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani

 



Syria and Iraq
The Arab League countries also have war very different views on the war in Syria. Iraq, Algeria and the Lebanese Hezbollah support the al-Assad regime in some ways. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other countries are favouring different rebel groups. The Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki has also accused Saudi Arabia and Qatar of supporting rebels in the western Anbar province of Iraq in a very violent campaign. Saudi Arabia and Qatar have rejected the claims.
 

 Population Density of the Arab World showing the concentration of population in dark green.

Sources and more information
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/03/arab-league-summit-201432552716861683.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/25/us-arabs-summit-idUSBREA2O0GB20140325
http://www.kuna.net.kw/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2366913&language=en

I am open to your comments and proposals.

Warmly
Bjarte Bjørsvik