Egypt's relations with its close Gulf allies have changed since the country's 25 January Revolution, reports Dina Ezzat The furore over complications faced by thousands of Egyptian pilgrims trying to return after omra in Saudi Arabia at the end of Ramadan last month seems to have been contained, but tensions may still be in the air, signalling changes in the traditionally good relations between Egypt and its close Gulf allies. Last Friday's attack on a building of the Saudi embassy in Giza, following demonstrations of anger against the Israeli embassy, may be indicative that the smooth relations that have prevailed between oil-rich Saudi Arabia and Egypt may be "somewhat changing", according to one Saudi diplomat. Some three million Egyptians currently work in Saudi Arabia. Egyptian officials also say that since the country's 25 January Revolution relations between the two countries may have changed, though not necessarily in a negative direction. Egypt remains keen to preserve its traditionally good relations with Saudi Arabia, as with other Arab Gulf states, but Egyptians are not willing to accept anything that might be perceived as an insult. "Insults against Egyptians are no longer acceptable, and what happened during the omra pilgrimage is a clear indication of this. In our communications with the Arab Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, we are trying to indicate that things in Egypt are different after the revolution to what they were before it", said one Egyptian official speaking on condition of anonymity. Saudi Arabia, the official added, may also be coming to terms with this change, especially as it has become clear that Egyptian public opinion cannot now be ignored by the authorities as it often was during the rule of ousted former president Hosni Mubarak. One sign of possible Saudi unease about the new realities in Egypt, one diplomat commented, could be found in the slower pace of diplomatic consultations between Cairo and Riyadh. "Obviously, we still keep up close relations with the Saudis, but the volume of contacts and consultations is not anywhere near where it was," the diplomat said. Another sign of possible unease, according to another official source, has come in attempts by influential Saudi individuals not in direct contact with the authorities to influence the situation in Egypt through indirect channels. "The amount of money that has been channelled into the accounts of some radical Islamist groups in Egypt is huge, and they obviously want to influence Egyptian society to make it more in tune with Saudi religious values and hence with Saudi Arabia itself," the source said. "This is a typical Saudi tactic, but it was not applied in Egypt during the Mubarak years, at least not in this way." A Saudi source in Cairo who spoke to Al-Ahram Weekly on condition of anonymity said that "there is nothing new about the funding offered by Saudi charities to Islamic organisations in Egypt, and we did this even during the years of president Mubarak. This money does not come from the Saudi government. It comes from good people who want to give to charity." Saudi authorities say they have no way of knowing exactly how much money is channelled by Saudi individuals to Egyptian organisations, especially since some of the money comes from accounts held outside Saudi Arabia. They also deny that the purpose of the funds is to try to influence developments in Egypt. For their part, the Egyptian authorities have played down increases in Saudi funding reaching Islamist organisations in Egypt. "We do not intend to get into any diplomatic confrontation with Riyadh. On the contrary, we want to keep up good relations and to improve the current volume of cooperation. However, the Saudis have not been reciprocating," the Egyptian diplomat said. Speaking on condition of anonymity, Egyptian and Saudi sources say that the end of the Mubarak regime was not to the liking of the Saudis, who perceived the ousted Egyptian president as being a reliable ally. The Saudis also failed to secure a deal with the Egyptian authorities under which Mubarak would be transferred to Saudi Arabia or be spared trial. "This is not just about the fact that they see this as a humiliation of Mubarak. It is also about the fact that they see this as a failure by Saudi Arabia to exercise its influence on a country like Egypt," said a retired Egyptian diplomat who served in Saudi Arabia. Moreover, the idea of regime change is not something that Riyadh likes because it raises unpleasant thoughts for a regime faced with subdued, but persistent, opposition. Egypt is not only focussing on complications arising from increased Saudi funding of Islamist organisations in the country. "We know that the funding does not just come from Saudi Arabia, but that it comes from other rich Gulf countries as well -- not necessarily from their governments, but from influential individuals," said the Egyptian diplomat. Qatar is particularly perceived as being a source of generous donations to radical Islamist groups in Egypt. "The purpose of these donations, as we see it, is not about the Islamisation of Egyptian society but about causing instability and this is very disturbing," said a security official. Egypt is trying to convince the Arab Gulf countries concerned to exercise more control over funding sent to Egyptian organisations, so far with little success. "A change of attitude in the practices of countries that are funding the Islamist organisations, whether through individuals or directly, would change things because this is about the exercise of power and regional influence," said political analyst Amr Hashim Rabie. The Egyptian authorities should be firmer about applying regulations that make it difficult for organisations to access funds from abroad, he said. According to the Egyptian diplomat, the issue of such funds is only one dimension of the complex relations that link Egypt to the Saudis and other Gulf countries. "Today, the Saudis and the rest of the Arab Gulf states are concerned about a return to the policies of former president Gamal Abdel-Nasser, whose policies were not compatible with those of Saudi Arabia." "The message we are trying to convey is that Egypt, while parting from the policies of total alliance of the Mubarak years, is not going to return to the policies of the days of Nasser," he said.
