British Prime Minister to the Middle East and Cyprus: A visit that paves the way

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's first visit to the Middle East reflects the UK's priorities and views on cooperation with the region.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Riyadh, December 9. (Source: Saudi Gazette)

From December 8-10, Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia and the final stop was Cyprus - marking the first official visit by a British Prime Minister to the island nation in 53 years.

Economics is the focus

Prime Minister Keir Starmer affirmed that the highest priority during the visit is to strengthen relations, especially economic, with the countries. A statement from No. 10 Downing said London wants to increase trade turnover with the Middle East by 16% in the coming time.

In addition, the country is pushing ahead with negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) with the Association of Gulf States (GCC), Britain's seventh-largest export market. Prime Minister Starmer affirmed: "Economic growth is my top priority... and to make that happen, we need new deals, new investment from around the world , with Saudi Arabia and the UAE being important partners." Currently, the UK's trade turnover with the UAE and Saudi Arabia is 29 billion USD and 17 billion USD respectively.

In that context, Mr. Starmer’s visit will aim to further increase these numbers. Meeting with host President Sheikh Mohamed in Abu Dhabi on December 8, the British Prime Minister emphasized: “The UAE is an important strategic partner of London… The reason I am here is to create opportunities to develop that partnership, whether in trade, investment, security, defense, energy or artificial intelligence.”

Similarly, meeting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on December 9 in Riyadh, he stressed the relationship “based on the values ​​of trust and friendship”. This politician hopes the Middle Eastern country will further promote growth and create jobs in the UK.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the recent bilateral agreement has created more than 4,000 jobs in the UK. During the visit, he also met with leaders of economic ministries and major businesses in Saudi Arabia, including Trade Minister Majid al Kassabi.

In particular, the British company Graphene Innovations Manchester (GIM), which specializes in developing new technologies and materials, said that within the framework of the $500 billion Neom mega-project, Saudi Arabia will invest $318 million in a research and development center in Manchester, expected to create 1,000 jobs. Previously, the British energy company Carbon Clean signed an agreement with Saudi Aramco to cooperate in developing carbon capture technology. That is not to mention the new defense agreement between the two countries, expected to bring the total export turnover of British weapons to Saudi Arabia far beyond the current $4.84 billion.

Meanwhile, a press release from Cyprus highlighted the historic significance of the first visit by a British Prime Minister to the country in more than half a century. On December 10 in Lefkosia, President Nikos Christodoulides and the British guest discussed the upcoming second strategic dialogue, as well as bilateral cooperation in the fields of security, defense, economy, trade, investment, education and culture.

Concerns are always present

However, it should be remembered that Mr. Starmer's visit took place while the Middle East witnessed many complicated developments, from the Israel-Hamas conflict, the Houthi activities in the Red Sea and recently, the change of government in Syria. This situation has had a significant impact on the flow of UK-Middle East trade. The British Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that the Israel-Gaza conflict negatively impacted 50% of British businesses. At the same time, instability in the Middle East pushed the cost of transporting goods to quadruple, even at times eight times, within just one year.

In that context, a press release before the visit stated that London affirmed that "stability in the Middle East is particularly important to strengthen the security foundation (in the UK)" and said it would provide $14.01 million in humanitarian aid to Syria.

Throughout his journey in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Cyprus, Mr. Keir Starmer also clearly expressed his stance on hot issues in the region. Regarding Gaza, he highly appreciated Saudi Arabia's stance on finding a solution to end the conflict and increasing humanitarian aid to the region. The British Prime Minister also expressed his support for a change of government in Syria, hoping for a sustainable political agreement, eliminating violence and terrorism, and aiming to protect civilians. Notably, he affirmed that he would help Cyprus prevent the flow of Russian money through this Mediterranean country to avoid sanctions from the US and the West.

However, not all of Mr. Starmer's moves have been "smooth." The British Prime Minister's visit to Riyadh and meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has come under a lot of public pressure. Because, in 2022, he criticized his predecessor Boris Johnson for meeting with Mr. bin Salman, despite some information about Riyadh's role in the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

He also faced pressure from home, calling on the UAE to release businessman Ryan Cornelius, who has been detained for more than 16 years in Dubai on charges of defrauding $471.6 million, despite denials from the British government and the United Nations.

His visit to Cyprus also generated a lot of headlines. Prime Minister Starmer refused to meet with Ersin Tatar, the leader of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), a territory that broke away from the Republic of Cyprus 50 years ago and is not recognized by many countries. The TRNC was harshly criticized, saying that this move did not contribute positively to resolving the current situation. Meanwhile, Mr. Rikki Williams, co-founder of the group “Freedom and Justice for Northern Cyprus”, called on the British Prime Minister to “talk to both sides, not just one side”.

After all, Mr. Starmer's visit to the Middle East and Cyprus reflected the priority of economic cooperation and views on hot issues, promoting the interests and influence of the foggy country in the region.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/thu-tuong-anh-toi-trung-dong-va-cyprus-chuyen-tham-mo-duong-297098.html