The Evolution of the Regional Security Policy of Saudi Arabia and Turkey: Similarities and Differences

Abstract

The authors analyse the configuration and major directions of the current regional security policies of Saudi Arabia and Turkey, as some of the leading players in the Middle East. The strategic location of the region, combined with high levels of conflict and a number of other factors, has turned the region into a real Gordian knot of global politics. The issue of security in this part of the world is a key item on both the Middle Eastern and global agenda. Most of the internal processes in the Middle East today depend on the balance of power among regional 'heavyweights', the most prominent of which are Iran, Israel, Turkey, and a number of Arab countries headed by Saudi Arabia. The authors examine the current regional security policies of Riyadh and Ankara as they, with their considerable resources, seek to realise their ambitions both internationally and regionally, resulting in direct competition for leadership in several overlapping areas between them. At the same time, due to geographical proximity and a number of other factors, the spheres of interest of Saudi and Turkish foreign policies often overlap. The authors draw parallels between the regional security policies of Saudi Arabia and Turkey in the Middle East, identifying overlapping areas of interest between the two countries that not only underpin their cooperation, but also create grounds for competition between them.