ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the evolution of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC's) role in the important area of activity, offering an assessment of the extent and quality of cooperation in defense and security issue area before examining the prospects for deeper cooperation in the areas of defense and internal security, as well as the development of a GCC foreign and diplomatic policy. There have been a number of stumbling blocks to the deepening of coordination efforts when it comes to defense and security, which range from the technical to the political. There is clearly potential for the GCC to develop a wider role in jointly coordinating and representing unified GCC foreign policy positions on a range of issues, and to act as an umbrella for negotiations on regional disputes, even if it seems unlikely to be able to develop the institutional structures or agency to adjudicate on disputes between GCC member states.
