Can united kingdom - Saudi ties become a security architecture for an unstable Gulf?

LONDON: For decades, the UK-Saudi relationship has been defined by energy, defense, trade and intelligence cooperation. But as conflict and instability increasingly threaten the Gulf’s shipping lanes, energy infrastructure and critical technologies, Sir Liam Fox argues that the partnership now needs to evolve into something broader: a long-term security architecture capable of protecting both national sovereignty and the global economy. Speaking to the Saudi-British Society at London’s Royal Thames Yacht Club on Sept. 29, Sir Liam framed the relationship around three pillars — economic partnership, counterterrorism cooperation and shared strategic interests in regional stability — arguing that each has become more important as risks across the Gulf intensify. His argument was straightforward: Gulf security is no longer merely a regional issue. The…