Small States, Regional Stability and the Muscat Process
The current U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq adds another layer of uncertainty to an already fragile regional security environment in West Asia . Such transitions inevitably create openings that different actors may seek to test or exploit. This is precisely why the Muscat Process is needed now more than ever: to preserve channels of communication and confidence before security gaps become new escalations. At a time when international diplomacy is under extraordinary pressure, the proposed Muscat Process – advanced by a Group of Friends of the Process – deserves strong and sustained support. Its value lies not only in the possibility of achieving a particular political agreement, but in preserving channels of dialogue between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, Iran and Iraq throughout the entire crisis cycle —from prevention and early warning, through escalation and crisis, to de-escalation, stabilization and, ultimately, political settlement. The crisis cycle should also be ...