Egypt between the Superpowers: Continuity or Change in Egyptian Foreign Policy under Mubarak

摘要

This thesis deals with Egyptian foreign policy under President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak. The emphasis is on Egypt's orientation between superpowers, and the dilemma of continuity or change. The Egyptian leadership's perception of their country's international and regional role will also be discussed as it affects the foreign policy decision-making process. We propose that a reassessment by the Mubarak regime was made regarding Egypt's foreign policy in the wake of Sadat's assassination with the desire to break out of its isolation. Mubarak is presenting a variation of Sadat's solution on how to balance an active foreign policy with limited resources and serious economic problems without becoming overly dependent on either superpower. Our hypothesis is that Egyptian foreign policy has not deviated markedly in context since Sadat, however it has in style. Egypt continues to maintain a special relationship with the United States, despite the recent exchange of ambassadors with the Soviet Union and its reassertion of the nonaligned principles as a guide to its foreign policy.