In the light of the United States monopolizing influence on the region and the strain it has come to bear on the societies, the ineffectiveness of the Gulf Cooperation Council- European Union (GCC-EU) relationship is very evident. It has neither progressed far enough for both parties to realize the full potential of inter-regional cooperation nor served the strategic rationale for a mutually beneficial cooperation. It certainly does not reflect the historical, geopolitical and strategic considerations, and the strong interdependence of the two regions and their links. As a result, there appears to be discontent, disillusionment and a negotiation fatigue among the signatories of the 1988 GCC-EU cooperation agreement. At the same time, the GCC-EU relations are multi-faceted in character and multi-dimensional in scope, a fact which not only reflects the depth of the common interests underpinning the ties, but also calls for a serious and sustainable upgrading of the same. The need to ensure and maintain international security and stability in the world demands that both move toward reducing the existing chasm.
