The Middle East has a very distinctive diplomatic structure. This text surveys the diplomatic relationships and the foundations of foreign policy-making among the principal players in the region - Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Morocco. It also explores the Middle East policies of four leading external powers who have played such a crucial role in the region - the US, Britain, France and Russia. Rendered all the more relevant by the sound and fury surrounding America's new attitudes to the region, the work presents a comparative survey which should be essential for specialists on the Middle East, diplomatic history and international relations.