Select Committee on International Relations
The Middle East: Time for New Realism
2nd Report of Session 2016-17 - published 2 May 2017 - HL Paper 159
Contents
Purpose and scope of the report
Figure 1: Map of the Middle East and North Africa
Chapter 2: Profound disorder of the new Middle East
Unravelling of the old Middle East
Chapter 3: Current policy and current illusions
British interests in the Middle East
Figure 2: The UK’s key economic partners in the Middle East
Figure 3: Estimated total UK defence exports 2006–2015
Syria: the position of President Bashar al-Assad
Arms sales and military involvement
Chapter 4: Social change, communications and demography
UK policy: means to influence in a digital era
Figure 4: Demographics of the MENA and G7 countries
China: flexible and cautious pragmatism
Disregard of international institutions
Chapter 6: Evolution of Middle East states
The transformation of state power
Figure 6: Sectarian balance of power
British-Iranian dual nationals
The Iran nuclear deal, compliance and implementation
Review the relationship with the Gulf States
The Israeli-Palestinian dispute
Regional approaches to cooperation
Structural challenge to states
Unravelling of states and rise of new actors
Figure 7: Map of major Kurdish political movements
Chapter 8: Trade and economic policy
UK-Gulf Cooperation Council trade agreement
Trade agreements with the Maghreb and Mashreq
Economic diversification of oil-producing states
Figure 8: Remaining years of oil and gas reserves
Chapter 9: Future British policy
Dilemma of democracy promotion
Figure 9: Indication of UK development assistance in 2015
Summary of conclusions and recommendations
Appendix 1: List of Members and declarations of interest
Appendix 3: Roundtable discussion
Appendix 4: UK development funding
Evidence is published online at http://www.parliament.uk/power-in-middle-east and available for inspection at the Parliamentary Archives (020 7129 3074).
Q in footnotes refers to a question in oral evidence.