Egypt's foreign policy in the decade after Camp David : an interpretation

Abstract

This thesis is an interpretation of Egypt’s foreign policy in the decade, loosely-defined, after the signing of the Camp David accords in September 1978. It examines the way in which Husni Mubarak managed the diplomatic legacy bequeathed to him by Anwar Sadat. The thesis pursues two, interrelated themes. First, it examines the content of Egypt's most important diplomatic relationships during the 1980s, and the linkages between them. Second, it considers Egypt's role in Arab politics and the nexus between that role and Egypt's position in the wider international system. Egypt's foreign policy during the 1980s was dominated by the United States, the Arab world, and Israel, with the Palestinian question as a common denominator. Equally important, even if less attention-getting, was the management of the vital Egyptian-Sudanese relationship. The purpose of Mubarak's diplomacy was, whilst adhering to the peace treaty with Israel, to inject a degree of flexibility into Egyptian diplomacy. This could be achieved by repairing those relationships which Sadat had damaged, and reducing the salience of those which he had built up excessively; thus, for example, the restoration of relations with the Soviet Union served symbolically to offset Egypt’s unavoidable dependence on the United States. The overall contention of the thesis is this: although Egypt's perceived central role in inter-Arab politics is its principal source of international prestige, that role is itself co-determined by the interests of outside powers. Consequently, Egyptian policymakers must strive to preserve a balance between the dictates of what may be called the 'Arab regional' and the 'Middle Eastern' systems. Show more