ABU DHABI // Regional balance and non-interference in the internal affairs of neighbouring states were yesterday placed firmly at the heart of the UAE’s security policy.
They were two of six key pillars identified by Dr Anwar Gargash, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, as crucial in combating the scourges of extremism and fundamentalism.
The others are a moderate agenda, stable socio-economic conditions, international partnerships for energy security and a meaningful role for international organisations such as the GCC, the Arab League and the United Nations.
The principle of non-interference is essential, Dr Gargash told a security conference in the capital.
“Arab affairs should be settled within the framework of the Arab world because the Arab arena then becomes [accessible] to many regional players,” he said. “I think this is a risk that threatens all Arab countries.”
The issue is at the heart of a diplomatic rift between Qatar and other Arabian Gulf states. The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain accuse Doha of interference in their internal affairs with support for the Muslim Brotherhood, and have recalled their ambassadors.
“There is a very rapidly changing status quo in the region characterised by political instability and violent extremism, and we have seen it since the Arab Spring started in 2011,” Dr Gargash said.
“This added more risks in an already risky environment.”
Many regional and international parties were seeking to exploit instability to realise their own strategic objectives, he said. "No doubt this poses a challenge for regional balance. Although we are far from issues such as Crimea, they cause anxiety in security."
He said one security pillar was stable national socio-economic conditions.
“There must be strong and effective police and military forces because not every threat faced by countries is international,” Dr Gargash said. “There are many regional challenges so we should have the potential to face these threats. As [much as] the UAE and other countries need regional allies, we have to start with our own self-power and potential.”
He said there should be a balance between the UAE’s interests and other countries’ foreign policy.
“There is a kind of organic correlation between our own potential and the extensions for policy. A moderate agenda is another pillar – the UAE has created a very tolerant internal environment that accepts all nationalities, religions, ethnic groups and backgrounds so a moderate attitude is an important element in our own perspective in dealing with security issues.”
Regional balance was also an issue, he said. “The UAE is important but not that big a country so part of our own thinking is that the domination or hegemony of one country over another is not in the interest of other countries.
“There must be balance so that not one country acts as an influential power, like a ‘mini superpower’, and imposes its own terms and conditions. This is a very important foundation.”
International and regional organisations, such as the GCC, the Arab League and the United Nations, also have a crucial role to play.
"Sometimes, we may lose hope in their effectiveness, such as in the Syrian crisis," Dr Gargash said. "But they play an important role as they have the ability to move at a diplomatic level so we find political support and capability of manoeuvring, although sometimes limited, to achieve regional security."
But he said extremism and fundamentalism remained one of the major challenges.
“We thought it had been eradicated in the past because of the rapid developments that took place in Afghanistan and Iraq,” Dr Gargash said. “But we see them clearly in Syria and Iraq and this undoubtedly threatens other regions. It is a problem that is worsening in light of the chaotic situation that prevails.”
He said police and defence bodies should cooperate to tackle the issue.
“We saw in the past decade that the main competition over the Arab region is in the hands of non-Arab parties and we think this isn’t at all in our interests.
“There is a weak response by the international community towards what is happening in Syria so unless we have a decisive solution, we will see an additional three or four years of the same madness happening there now.
"Partnerships should be built; regional security is a collective issue and we hope that the GCC will overcome this crisis. We have to work together, we will grow together and prosper together in the face of dangers."
cmalek@thenational.ae
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ARGYLLE
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Fifa Club World Cup quarter-final
Esperance de Tunis 0
Al Ain 3 (Ahmed 02’, El Shahat 17’, Al Ahbabi 60’)
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Coming soon
Torno Subito by Massimo Bottura
When the W Dubai – The Palm hotel opens at the end of this year, one of the highlights will be Massimo Bottura’s new restaurant, Torno Subito, which promises “to take guests on a journey back to 1960s Italy”. It is the three Michelinstarred chef’s first venture in Dubai and should be every bit as ambitious as you would expect from the man whose restaurant in Italy, Osteria Francescana, was crowned number one in this year’s list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Akira Back Dubai
Another exciting opening at the W Dubai – The Palm hotel is South Korean chef Akira Back’s new restaurant, which will continue to showcase some of the finest Asian food in the world. Back, whose Seoul restaurant, Dosa, won a Michelin star last year, describes his menu as, “an innovative Japanese cuisine prepared with a Korean accent”.
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
The highly experimental chef, whose dishes are as much about spectacle as taste, opens his first restaurant in Dubai next year. Housed at The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal will feature contemporary twists on recipes that date back to the 1300s, including goats’ milk cheesecake. Always remember with a Blumenthal dish: nothing is quite as it seems.
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
RESULTS
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Why does a queen bee feast only on royal jelly?
Some facts about bees:
The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer
The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days
A queen bee lives for 3-5 years
This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony
About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive
Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.
Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen
Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids
Beewax is used to construct the combs. Due to its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial elements, it is used in skin treatments
Propolis, a resin-like material produced by bees is used to make hives. It has natural antibiotic qualities so works to sterilize hive, protects from disease, keeps their home free from germs. Also used to treat sores, infection, warts
Bee venom is used by bees to protect themselves. Has anti-inflammatory properties, sometimes used to relieve conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nerve and muscle pain
Honey, royal jelly, pollen have health enhancing qualities
The other three products are used for therapeutic purposes
Is beekeeping dangerous?
As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.
“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
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Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
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UAE SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Ali Khaseif, Fahad Al Dhanhani, Mohammed Al Shamsi, Adel Al Hosani
Defenders: Bandar Al Ahbabi, Shaheen Abdulrahman, Walid Abbas, Mahmoud Khamis, Mohammed Barghash, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Hassan Al Mahrami, Yousef Jaber, Mohammed Al Attas
Midfielders: Ali Salmeen, Abdullah Ramadan, Abdullah Al Naqbi, Majed Hassan, Abdullah Hamad, Khalfan Mubarak, Khalil Al Hammadi, Tahnoun Al Zaabi, Harib Abdallah, Mohammed Jumah
Forwards: Fabio De Lima, Caio Canedo, Ali Saleh, Ali Mabkhout, Sebastian Tagliabue
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
