ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the cooperation among oil producers in the fields of oil and how political interests might influence the oil-related behavior of the oil-producing states. A concept capturing this process is the term politicization. The chapter argues that the development of the oil-producer cooperation is best understood by studying the relationship between actors' economic and security interests and behavior. It considers the external and internal threats to the security of the regimes governing oil-producing states. The chapter focuses on the implications for the oil-producer cooperation of two major military conflicts: the war between Iran and Iraq from 1980 to 1988, and then the war between Iraq and Kuwait from 1990 to 1991. It deals with the internal political stability of oil-producer regimes and the role of oil income in securing these regimes. The chapter highlights some political cooperative aspects of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries relations.
