Both Uses of
Middle East
in
First Address to Irish Parliament From a British PM
- We must learn to apply real political will and harness our skills and resources far more effectively to solve regional problems — notably in the Balkans and the Middle East.†
*Middle East = a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf
- third, working together on international issues more widely, for example UN peacekeeping, to which both our countries have been important contributors, arms proliferation and the Middle East.†
Definition:
a region around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf (though there is no agreement on an exact to definition)
Some of the countries typically considered part of that region today include Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, and Lebanon. Some might include Afghanistan and Turkey which would certainly be included if referred to as the "Greater Middle East". Occasionally, the area is referred to as the Near East.