Maritime peace support operations in the Mediterranean

Abstract

In spite of the significance of internationally‐legitimized peace support operations in the Mediterranean area since the second world war, the historical record testifies to the absence of intra‐Mediterranean security co‐operation. The functional attributes of maritime forces in facilitating co‐operative behaviour would appear to offer a means to overcome this. Currently, however, the prospects for co‐operation at sea continue to be limited by divergent political interests and structural factors such as the extra‐regional linkages of the largest naval powers, imbalances in naval strength and capability and the fragility of intra‐Mediterranean security frameworks. Steps to improve trans‐ and intra‐Mediterranean relations through participation in peace support operations are perhaps more likely to be achieved with regard to land‐based activities than at sea, given the growing involvement of Jordan and some of the Maghreb states in UN land operations. On the other hand, the potential for joint ocean management and constabulary co‐operation in non‐military security spheres could be exploited, leading in the longer term to confidence building and increased military transparency.