ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses a comprehensive assessment of French presence in the Gulf. It investigates the origins of this presence back to the early seventies and its relation to French Arab policy. The chapter also discusses the ties with three of the Gulf countries — Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates — which constitute the main partners of France in the area. It examines the impact of Arab revolutions on French—Gulf relations. The chapter evaluates French Arab policy proximity translated into cooperation in multiple sectors including trade, cultural initiatives and educational partnerships. It evaluates the widening — and rather preoccupying — gap between these diplomatic arrangements and the domestic views on the Gulf inside France. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates constitute what can be called the "strategic triangle" of France in the Gulf. The strategic and economic projects that shape the relationship between France and its Gulf allies reveal a significant convergence of interests.
