News Analysis: Ups and downs seen in Egypt-Saudi ties amid regional turmoil

The relations between Egypt and Saudi Arabia have recently been going through ups and downs due to their different visions on various issues including the Syrian crisis, the war in Yemen and others, said Egyptian political experts.

The first clear sign of unharmonious ties was revealed after Egypt voted in October for two rival draft resolutions at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for a relief in Syria, including one proposed by Russia, whose military is currently assisting Bashar al-Assad's forces in Syria.

Although Egypt later explained that its supports for both the Russian and the French-Spanish draft resolutions were based on their contents in favor of calm in Syria. Despite the fact that the UNSC disapproved both, the Egyptian position was criticized by Saudi representative to the UN as "painful."

DIFFERENT PRIORITIES

"I believe that the core difference lies in the priorities of each country. While the Yemeni war, the Iranian regional influence and the Syria issue are Saudi priorities, Egypt is more concerned with fighting terrorism in Sinai, the Libyan crisis and the River Nile water issue," said Mohamed Gomaa, a researcher at the Arab and Regional Unit of Cairo-based Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies.

The expert continued that other issues like the Saudi-Turkish approach in light of Turkey's support for Egypt's currently-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group is not less influential on Egyptian-Saudi ties than their different views on Syria.

"The growing Iranian influence in the region played a key role in Saudi priorities, while Saudi Arabia and Turkey found greater chances for approach based on their positions on the Syrian issue that is not equally important to Egypt," Gomaa told Xinhua.

For Medhat Hammad, professor of Iranian and Gulf studies at Egypt's Tanta University, the main disagreement is related to the difference between Egypt and Saudi Arabia over the Syrian crisis, but their difference on the Yemeni issue has been compromised by Egypt's naval presence at the Red Sea's Bab al-Mandab Strait "that provided a kind of reassurance and support to the Saudi-led strikes on Yemen."

"Saudi Arabia has decided for years Assad's departure as the solution for the Syrian crisis and supported anti-Assad 'free Syrian army' financially and logistically. But for Egypt, Syria's unity, even if fragile, is vital to the Egyptian northeastern national security," the professor told Xinhua.

Hammad argued that Saudi Arabia "fights against Iran in Syria" as Iran is considered "a strategic threat" to the oil-rich kingdom, stressing Egypt's recurrent reiteration that the Gulf national security is part of the Egyptian and Arab national security.

MEDIA BACKLASH

Gulf states led by Saudi Arabia, excluding Qatar, supported the Egyptian military-oriented administration with billions of U.S. dollars and tons of oil supplies following the military removal of former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 and the consequent crackdown on his Brotherhood group.

The Egyptian media lashed out at the Saudis for their criticism of the Egyptian position on Syria and the halt of oil shipments of a Saudi national oil company, Aramco, to Egypt for the second consecutive month in November "until further notice" as stated by Egyptian Oil Minister Tarek al-Molla.

In late October, at a recent national youth conference in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi blamed the country's media for "causing Egypt severe harms" and "harming our warm relations with some friends."

Iyad Madani, a former Saudi minister who was in charge of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), made remarks during a conference in Tunisia in a mocking tone about the Egyptian president, yet the issue ended up with his resignation earlier in November after an Egyptian campaign against the man.

Egypt later welcomed Saudi Arabia's nomination of another ex-minister for the OIC top post "out of Egypt's appreciation of the important role played by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in supporting the activities of the OIC," as the Egyptian foreign ministry said.

On Tuesday, despite the plea of the Egyptian government, an Egyptian court confirmed nullification of an Egyptian-Saudi deal signed in April, during a rare visit of Saudi King Salman to Cairo, to transfer the controversial two Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir to the kingdom.

Mohamed Nehad Asqalani, Egypt's former assistant foreign minister, said that the Egyptian-Saudi relations are deep-rooted and highly valued by both sides, and both states are aware that they cannot do without each other.

"Unfortunately, we have a group of media people who exaggerate things and portray the situation as a Saudi attempt to control Egypt's political decision, which is not true," the ex-diplomat told Xinhua.

Asqalani continued that the Egyptian leadership made positive attempts to contain any disagreement with Saudi Arabia, explaining that the depth of their ties does not necessarily mean they have to follow in the same footsteps. "Each country has its own assessment of things."

As for Aramco suspension of oil shipments to Egypt, the former diplomat said that it came before Egypt's vote for the Russian draft resolution on Syria.

"I am optimistic that things between Egypt and Saudi Arabia will come back to normal and Aramco will resume its oil supplies to Egypt as per the signed agreement," Asqalani added. Endit