The countries of Western Europe are faced with the problem of defining a common, comprehensive approach to Mediterranean issues. Until recently they tended to focus their attention on economic aspects of links with the region, but the importance of political aspects has now been realised. The Euro-Mediterranean partnership launched at Barcelona in November 1995,(²) which seeks to achieve a balance between political, econ-omic and human relationships across the Mediterranean, is in a way a response to all those who maintained that these had to be based on a ‘necessary solidarity’, and that in the field of security there exists an...

When analysing the security and defence policies of northern African countries, one must distinguish between Egypt and the countries of the Maghreb, and treat the latter individually. The first distinction is necessary because one is dealing with separate sub-regions, and the second because there exist between these states conflictive relationships that results in them forming distinct strategies and security and defence options. In this domain, policies, in particular alliances, have conveyed the wish of each country to distinguish itself from the others.

Whereas Egypt’s strategic options and defence priorities will continue to be linked to the presence of Israel and...