Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb. 12 / Trend , U.Sadigova/
France's balanced policy in the
Middle East will help it to strengthen relations with Arab countries, and
perhaps to weaken the U.S. role in the region, said experts.
"Sarkozy might be looking
for strengthening his position internally and externally. I think that
the France is trying to play a vital role in the Middle East and fulfill the
empty role of US," Egyptian Al-Ahram Centre leading expert Khalil Al-Anani wrote
Trend in an email.
French
President Nicolas Sarkozy unexpectedly arrived in Iraq on Feb. 10 and called on
world leaders to follow his example and to restore the connection with the Arab
country, Reuters reported. Sarkozy said at a joint news conference with Iraqi
President Jalal Talabani that France believes in the unity of Iraq, adding that "the world needs a strong Iraq".
This
is Sarkozy's first visit to Iraq during his presidency. His trip program included
visits to Oman, Bahrain and Yemen.
"I think Sarkozy's ambition is to make France a realistic western alternative to the United States for the Gulf states. France is a major exporter to the Gulf states," said Durham University foreign policy analyst Christopher Davidson.
France is most actively developing
relations with the UAE. Paris is building a military base in Abu Dhabi and is
increasingly involved in the establishment of a nuclear energy sector in the
UAE.
Since the U.S. started war in Afghanistan and Iraq, France has not taken an
active part in Middle East politics, as Bush administration was dominated in
the region.
France's relationship with Arab countries began to improve after establishment
of the Mediterranean Union at a Paris summit last summer. As a result, relations
between Damascus and Paris were restored.
Sarkozy-Mubarak joint document promoted relations between Egypt and France. The document is aimed at ending the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
After coming to power President Sarkozy is seeking to leave previous European policy on the Arabian countries, which was during George Bush's Administration, Mediterranean Studies European Centre head Awad Chamas wrote Trend in an email. But by strengthening relations with the Arabian countries, France maintains its supporting Israel and its security in the region.
"Israel is not afraid of Sarkozy's freedom action who contacted with Hamas and Syria and sent a letter to Iran via Turkey's mediation," Chamas said.
France always supported close relations with Lebanon, especially during former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's governing period. Moreover, unlike U.S., France almost never criticized Hamas's activity and other political groupings in the region.
Therefore, France is not looking for a new role in the Middle East, because it already has it. The question that might be raised is: is Sarkozy trying to compete with Mr. Obama over the region, al-Anani said.
Experts consider Sarkozy's visit to Iraq as an important step in the French leadership's efforts to establish relations with Bagdad and Washington after the U.S. incursion into Iraq which France sharply criticized.
Expanding the French influence will weaken roles of other Western countries in the region.
"France's role in the Middle East is strengthening rapidly, as Britain is being pushed into third place," Davidson said.
Sarkozy's visit probably will not have a dramatic impact on Paris's role in the Middle East in the short term, American Institute of Peace Analyst Jason Gluck said.
U.S. will hail France's role in Iraq, as EU is always Washington's reliable partner in Middle East, Iraqi Foundation for Development and Democracy Head Ghassan al-Attiyyah told Trend . "But we need time to witness strengthening of Paris's position in Iraq against Obama," he said.
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