There is no doubt that the Egyptian-Saudi relations constitute a vital pillar of Arab national security in light of the unrest and chaos that the area witnesses, and the attempts to fragmentation and division. So the importance of these relations has multiplied much more than before in light of the current Arab reality, which confirms the urgent need for Arab cooperation and cohesion in facing an unprecedented historic moment.
Arab history testifies that Egypt and Saudi Arabia are central parts to the Arab world. And their importance increases in the absence of other central Arab countries such as Iraq and Syria. Despite the allegations and speculations said from time to time about disagreements and differences in the attitudes and interests of the two brotherly Arab nations, the proven truth amid the rubble of fast-moving events regionally is that Egypt and Saudi Arabia are the safety valve for the remainder of the Arab national security.
In light of the above, the dimensions and the importance of the visit of Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz to Cairo, could be understood, as this visit reorganizes the attitudes and views and opinions of the Egyptian-Saudi view, especially that the timing of the visit could represent the most important element in it, as it comes before the Kuwait talks between the legitimate government of Yemen, and the delegation of the rebels and the ousted Saleh. It also comes at a crucial timing for the Syrian crisis, not to mention the worsening terrorism issue of “Daesh”, which occupies the top of the strategic challenges and threats to most of the Arab countries.
Therefore, the absurd allegations and controversy about a raging conflict of roles between the two brotherly countries Egypt and Saudi Arabia, seem illogical, especially since there are two leaderships that enjoy a political wisdom able to avoid such reckless slippery endeavors in the relationships between brothers, as the leaders of both countries realize that there are vital Arab issues in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Libya, which need a resolving strategy. The situation of the crisis experienced by the region needs fateful decisions that could not be taken away from two eminent States particularly with regard to countering terrorism and its imminent danger.
I believe that the Saudi monarch’s visit to Cairo in the present time in particular is also a powerful blow to the haters among crises hunters in the region, specifically to those who promoted alleged scenarios about the atmosphere of relations between the two countries, as some parties worked hard, and still are, in marketing false speculation about differing interests, forgetting that the era of absolute compatibility and full congruence of interests has ended.
The public opinion in the region used to read the cherished historical phrase and the most famous one in the media, which states that the parties to any Arab-Arab talks have identical views. But the truth is that it is obvious that there is some variation in views between nations, it is even natural that there will be tactical differences, especially in light of the complexity of international relations and the intricacy of interests and the strong overlap between strategic calculations and visions of all countries. It seems that this reality is strongly visible in the cases of large and influential countries.
What is important in this issue is two vital points; the first one regards the nature of these differences- are they of a tactical nature or are they strategic, which makes it difficult to skip them? Are they differences about core issues or about details only? The second one regards the way the two parties manage differences. As long as dialog and coordination channels are open, there is no concern about any difference in views, no matter the magnitude of the differences, because dialog is able to make the parties involved reach a consensus. And above all that, there is a huge difference between divergence and discord. Divergence is obvious, but discord may refer to deeper issues.
What strikes me most in the course of the Egyptian-Saudi relations is that they faced a tremendous amount of rumors and allegations and media “fabrications”. It is remarkable that there are reports published about the discord between the two countries, while the two capitals did not issue anything that indicates the existence of any differences over the previous stage, which confirms the presence of parties, currents and groups that are trying to spoil the relationship between the two countries and to publish lies and allegations and deal with analyses as if they were “information”, and deliberately promote opinions in a framework of misleading media.
For the sake of objectivity, the torrent of lies about the Saudi-Egyptian relations has declined significantly since the last visit of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to the kingdom at the end of the ‘North thunder” maneuvers, as his presence was like a clear indication of the absence of any allegations about the existence of any clouds in the relations of the two countries.
There is no doubt that the continuation of close consultation and cooperation between the leadership of the two countries would achieve much more convergence of visions, perceptions and attitudes, which is in the interest of the Arab national security, and which enhances opportunities to find solutions and exits that are in the interests of the Arab peoples that suffer crises in several countries.
There is evidence predicting that the Saudi monarch’s visit to Egypt will be historic in its results, both at the level of the bilateral relations and at the level of the Arab world. Therefore, it is not surprising that analysts and researchers agree on the historic character of this visit, and that it represents a new start to the strategic relations between the two brotherly countries.
We in the Gulf cooperation Council, especially in the State of the United Arab Emirates, are looking with great interest and optimism to any step that will strengthen the relations between the two great sisters, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, as we believe that the Arab countries at the current stage desperately need to line up behind their leaders and unite in order to cross the tunnel which the region is going through, and defeat conspiracies and sedition in which are involved regional agents who are lying in wait for us, and scheming against our countries and peoples, and waiting for an opportune moment to pounce on a lot of our national gains.
