ABSTRACT
In early January 1983, Egyptian foreign minister Butros Butros Ghali met with Tariq Aziz in Paris, initiating diplomatic contacts as well. Between January and July, an agreement was reached whereby Egypt would sell Iraq Soviet-made weapons. By the fall of 1984, Jordan and Egypt restored full diplomatic relations and in January 1985, it was reported that the two signed a strategic cooperation agreement. Moscow thus had to contend with a much reinforced moderate camp. By 1982, when the consequences of the Iranian revolution became clear to Moscow observers, they returned to more conventional approaches. Despite the obvious conservatism of the Saudi monarchy, and despite the potential for economic and social dislocations, the Soviets are clearly desirous of establishing diplomatic relations. Moscow thus showed increasing flexibility toward the Middle East in 1985 and its diplomatic initiatives were to pay off in the Gulf as well.
