By using ECSS site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
ECSS - Egyptian Center for Strategic StudiesECSS - Egyptian Center for Strategic Studies
  • Home
  • International Relations
    International Relations
    Show More
    Top News
    Intertwining factors: The Significance of the MoU between the Syrian Democratic Council and the People’s Will Party
    September 18, 2020
    Pre-emptive fallacies Refuting Ethiopia’s claims on the second filling of GERD
    April 26, 2021
    the New Republic: Egypt’s Role in Africa
    October 20, 2021
    Latest News
    Significant Regression: Ennahda’s Trajectory in Tunisia after Ghannouchi’s Arrest
    May 17, 2023
    The Humanitarian Dimension: Egypt’s Role to Ease Sudan Crisis
    May 16, 2023
    Trial Balloon: Will Hungary Follow in Britain’s Footsteps and Exit the European Union?
    May 15, 2023
    Heated Competition: Turkish Election Map and Potential Voting Trends
    May 13, 2023
  • Defense & Security
    Defense & Security
    Show More
    Top News
    Turkey and the Muslim Brotherhood: A temporary refuge and alternative Havens
    October 1, 2020
    Assessing Deterrent Measures and the Prospects of War: US Military Movement in the Gulf to Confront Iran
    June 22, 2020
    Reopening Libya’s coastal road: What’s next for the parties involved?
    August 24, 2021
    Latest News
    Why Have TikTok Security Concerns Grown Globally?
    April 16, 2023
    Employing Loopholes: Escalating Pakistani Taliban Activity and its Repercussions
    April 1, 2023
    A Habitual Trend: Terrorist Organizations’ Exploitation of Natural Disasters
    March 25, 2023
    ChatGPT: Promising Applications, Potential Difficulties
    March 6, 2023
  • Public Policy
    Public Policy
    Show More
    Top News
    Favorable circumstances: Investing in Egyptian banks
    May 11, 2021
    Real Estate Transaction Tax: Addressing Challenges of Egypt’s Real Estate Sector
    March 24, 2022
    Investment in Egypt amid Covid-19
    July 25, 2021
    Latest News
    Boosting Presence: The Economic Implications of Iranian President’s Visit to Syria
    May 27, 2023
    Scenarios for Energy Crisis Management in the European Union
    May 20, 2023
    Reading into Egypt’s Foreign Debt
    May 13, 2023
    Development Trends in Sinai
    May 2, 2023
  • Analysis
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Situation Assessment
    • Readings
  • Activities
    • Conferences
    • ECSS Agenda
    • Panel Discussion
    • Seminar
    • Workshops
  • ECSS Library
    • Books
    • Digital Editions
    • Periodicals
    • Special Editions
  • العربية
  • Advertise
All Rights Reserved to ECSS © 2022,
Reading: Cairo Hosts “New START” Talks: What it Means
Share
Notification Show More
Latest News
Boosting Presence: The Economic Implications of Iranian President’s Visit to Syria
Economic & Energy Studies
African Peace Initiative to End Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Opinion Opinions Articles
The Economic Repercussions of Sudan’s Armed Conflict
Analysis
Egypt, Israel, and Gaza: What’s Next?
Opinion
Scenarios for Energy Crisis Management in the European Union
Economic & Energy Studies
Aa
ECSS - Egyptian Center for Strategic StudiesECSS - Egyptian Center for Strategic Studies
Aa
  • اللغة العربية
  • International Relations
  • Defense & Security
  • Special Edition
  • Public Policy
  • Analysis
  • Activities & Events
  • Home
  • اللغة العربية
  • Categories
    • International Relations
    • Defense & Security
    • Public Policy
    • Analysis
    • Special Edition
    • Activities & Events
    • Opinions Articles
  • Bookmarks
Follow US
  • Advertise
All Rights Reserved to ECSS © 2022, Powered by EgyptYo Business Services.
Opinions Articles

Cairo Hosts “New START” Talks: What it Means

Dr. Muhammad Fayez Farahat
Last updated: 2022/12/04 at 5:30 PM
Dr. Muhammad Fayez Farahat
Share
7 Min Read
SHARE

From 29 November to 6 December, Egypt will host the US-Russian talks on the prospects of the “New START”, one of the primary treaties that safeguard world security and the sole remaining nuclear arms control treaty between the United States and Russia. 

In essence, New START provides for capping the number of nuclear warheads possessed by both countries, exchanging of data on nuclear weapons, and establishing a reciprocal control mechanism. New START is a five-year treaty that became effective in February 2011. In February 2021, it was renewed for another five years in February but is now fraught with a major problem against the background of the Russo-Ukrainian war. The collapse of the New START treaty will open the door for a nuclear race, which becomes more critical in view of the ongoing crisis between Washington and Moscow.

Does Egypt’s hosting of these talks have specific connotations? Some may argue that Egypt’s role does not go beyond being a venue for talks and coordinating the logistical aspects. Even if this is true, it is associated with considerable implications that go beyond the logistical dimension.

The first of these implications stems from the significance of this treaty to global security. Ergo, the involvement of Cairo in renewing the treaty or working towards a new one makes Egypt part of a momentous event or a meaningful interaction coming at a historical moment of the development of the global system, which is dominated by conflicts and tensions that escalated to the point that the nuclear weapons use was re-visited. This isn’t the first time Cairo gets involved in such pivotal events, critical to the development of international relations. For instance, the Cairo Declaration, signed in December 1943, is still being regarded as one of the main stations on the way to ending World War II and restoring the situation in Southeast Asia to the pre-Japanese expansion during the First and Second World Wars. Until today, the Cairo Declaration is still part of the rhetoric of the international powers in this regard.

Second, the United States and Russia agreeing to conduct these talks in Cairo speaks volumes of their recognition of Egypt’s balanced foreign policy on the United States and Russia and the Russo-Ukrainian war (the latter currently represents a central issue in the relations between the two countries). Such balance holds true for other issues, including the Sino-US relations and international peace and security issues. Indeed, “the issue of striking balance has become one of the most important criteria governing the decisions of the United States and Russia at the current stage.

Third, the selection of Cairo as a host country for these talks lends considerable credibility to Egypt’s rhetoric on world peace and security issues, a historic rhetoric that has roots in the geographical and geopolitical reality of the Egyptian state, but has been highlighted during the recent period against the backdrop of the predominance of conflicts within the global system, portending a third world war. Perhaps Egypt’s adherence to the “One China” principle and President Al-Sisi’s calls to end the war in Ukraine (the latest of which was made during COP27) could be understood in view of such rhetoric. Currently, Egypt adopts a global rhetoric that goes beyond issues of international peace and security, to include Egypt’s interaction with the greater part of the agenda of the global system, especially energy issues, climate change, and interests of developing countries, among others. This Egyptian engagement with global issues has gained significant credibility given Egypt’s special expertise and experiences in these fields.

Fourth, holding these talks in Cairo gives Egyptian diplomacy added weight. Such a weight is not new; it has accumulated over successive decades of regional and international engagement, but it has taken on a new dimension following Egypt’s success in hosting COP27, not only in terms of organization and logistical aspects, but in terms of content, particularly with the success of Egyptian diplomacy in facilitating the necessary conditions that allowed COP27 to achieve a historic breakthrough, as countries agreed to establish a special fund to finance climate change-related losses and damages, amid heightened polarization between developed and developing countries. In effect, hosting international conferences and events has become a subject of international competition, revealing the discrepancy in distribution of international capabilities, depending on several criteria, including availability of adequate infrastructure, diplomatic capabilities, and organizational capacities (physical and human factors).

In short, Egypt’s hosting of New START talks is revealing of the standing Egypt is enjoying within the global system, which Cairo shall utilize to consolidate its position, towards affirming its status as a middle power within the global system.

This article was originally published in Al-Ahram newspaper on Wednesday, 23 November 2022.

Related Posts

African Peace Initiative to End Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Significant Regression: Ennahda’s Trajectory in Tunisia after Ghannouchi’s Arrest

The Humanitarian Dimension: Egypt’s Role to Ease Sudan Crisis

Reading into Egypt’s Foreign Debt

TAGGED: Egypt, Russia, START talke
Dr. Muhammad Fayez Farahat December 4, 2022
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Whatsapp LinkedIn Telegram Email Copy Link Print

Stay Connected

Facebook Like
Twitter Follow
Instagram Follow
Youtube Subscribe

Latest Articles

Boosting China’s Influence: The Foreign Minister’s Tour and the Strategy in Pacific Islands
International Relations August 7, 2022
The Limits of China-Iran Mutual Benefits
International Relations September 24, 2020
Parallel War: Nord Stream Bombings Increase Frontlines Between Russia and the West
International Relations November 1, 2022
A Constraint or an Opportunity? Al-Sarraj Announces Power Hhandover in Libya
Analysis September 27, 2020

Latest Tweets

International Relations

  • African Studies
  • American Studies
  • Arab & Regional Studies
  • Asian Studies
  • European Studies
  • Palestinian & Israeli Studies

Defence & Security

  • Armament
  • Cyber Security
  • Extremism
  • Terrorism & Armed Conflict

Public Policies

  • Development & Society
  • Economic & Energy Studies
  • Egypt & World Stats
  • Media Studies
  • Public Opinion
  • Women & Family Studies

The Egyptian Center for Strategic Studies is an independent non-profit think tank, providing decisions-makers by Policy alternatives, the center was establised in 2018 and comprises a group of experts and researchers from diffrent generations and scientific desciplines. 

All Rights Reserved to Egyptian Center for Strategic Studies - ECSS © 2022

Removed from reading list

Undo
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?