Compare with other crises lately. Arabs taking charge for once.

Anwar Gargash

The UAE view was that these certain facilities in no way could be construed as military facilities, however, Anwar Gargash had The UAE view concerns and we took these American concerns into consideration and stopped the work on these facilities.

What we are worried about is this fine line between acute competition( between China and The US) and a new Cold War, because I think we, as a small state, will be affected negatively by this, but will not have the ability in any way to affect this competition even positively really.

We will see in the coming period really what is going on with regards to America’s footprint in the region. I don’t think we know yet, but Afghanistan is definitely a test and to be honest it is a very worrying test, part of what we need to do is manage our region better. There is a vacuum and whenever there is a vacuum there is trouble.

Turkey’s recent re-examination of its policies towards Egypt, the Brotherhood and towards Saudi Arabia and others is very welcome. And I think for us to come mid-way and reach out is very important, the Turks have been very positive about what we are saying to them.

Am I very positive about the reach out to Iran? Yes I am. Am I very positive that Iran will change its regional course? I have to say I am more realistic here, but I am betting Iran is also concerned about vacuum and escalation. we are all worried very much by a looming cold war. That is bad news for all of us, because the idea of choosing is problematic in the international system, and I think this is not going to be an easy ride.

We are committed to seeing an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as the capital of that, that is our political commitment. But on the other hand, I think we as part of our world we have been a big supporter historically of the Palestinians politically financially and otherwise.

It is among the fake news that I have seen today.

It [ the reopening ] is the fruit of the conviction that the next phase requires Arab presence and communication with Syria for the care of its people, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

We are still counting on the U.N. attempt to pull a rabbit out of a hat.

Politically, there is a necessity to back the U.N. effort. It will ultimately mean a transition, to a new political order in Yemen. Clearly with the U.N. effort, the military and political process will see the Houthis pull out of urban centers.

Mogherini's Guardian op-ed lacks context and understanding of Iran's regional and aggressive policy and sectarian overtones that have polarized the Middle East her task of 'regional cooperative framework' must evolve from a clear understanding of Iran's interventionist and sectarian foreign policy and ensuing polarization.