, ▁the ▁issue ▁that ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁G ulf ▁Cris is ▁and ▁War ▁of ▁ 1 9 9 0 - 1 9 9 1 . ▁As ▁editor ▁of ▁Middle ▁East ▁Mon itor ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁he ▁reported ▁on ▁the ▁emer gence ▁of ▁Kur d ish ▁aut onomy ▁in ▁northern ▁Ira q , ▁the ▁changing ▁fort unes ▁of ▁the ▁Arab ▁World , ▁Iran ▁in ▁an ▁era ▁character ised ▁by ▁international ▁san ctions , ▁and ▁the ▁slow ▁recovery ▁of ▁trust ▁between ▁O PE C ▁producer ▁states ▁and ▁industrial ised ▁cons uming ▁nations . ▁ ▁Currently , ▁Roberts ▁writes ▁and ▁lect ures ▁on ▁energy ▁security ▁and ▁environmental ▁issues , ▁including ▁producer - consum er ▁relations , ▁water ▁management ▁in ▁Central ▁Asia , ▁Turkey ▁and ▁the ▁Middle ▁East , ▁and ▁the ▁inter link ed ▁relationships ▁between ▁the ▁European ▁Union ▁and ▁its ▁oil ▁and ▁gas ▁supp liers ▁in ▁Russia , ▁the ▁C asp ian ▁and ▁the ▁Middle ▁East . ▁ ▁In ▁assess ing ▁global ▁energy ▁security ▁issues , ▁he ▁has ▁regularly ▁tou red ▁the ▁G ulf ▁and ▁the ▁C asp ian , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁visit ing ▁the ▁Al ask an ▁North ▁Slo pe ▁P ipeline , ▁the ▁Ath ab as ca ▁Tar ▁S ands , ▁Norway , ▁and ▁Venezuela . ▁He ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁for em ost ▁anal yst s ▁on ▁the ▁potential ▁of ▁the ▁C asp ian , ▁and ▁has ▁worked ▁with ▁companies , ▁govern ments ▁and ▁think ▁t anks ▁on ▁a ▁host ▁of ▁global ▁energy ▁issues , ▁not