April 15, 2022
DUBAI, UAE (CNN) – UAE Presidential Advisor Anwar Gargash said Western hegemony over the international system was in recent days, noting that change is natural in life and constancy and stability are the exceptions of the rule.
Gargash said in the Mohammed bin Zayed Council that the emergence of economic power and technology from Asia, represented by China, Japan, South Korea and Indonesia, “will change the west-leaning balance so that this economy has become less western,” he said.
The Emirati diplomat added: “China is now a major economic and technological player and a very important political player, although we are not going to put it in the ranks of America now, but these changes show that change is the rule in the international system, not.” constancy and stability,” as he put it.
Gargash said, “The international system today of Western hegemony over the international system is in its last days,” noting that change is natural and that the dollar-dependent economic system is only 70 years old.
The Emirati diplomat stated: “Today we see that countries are dependent on the dollar as a global currency and we believe this has always been the case. The truth is that the international system that depends on the dollar is 50, 60 or 70 years old, so change is the nature of life,” he said.
The Emirati diplomat discussed the Houthi attack on civilian facilities in the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi last January and the role of this incident in “testing” the Emirates’ alliances with some countries.
Gargash said: “The aim of launching such missiles is not only material damage to the UAE, but also moral damage and damage to the UAE's march". He continued, "Of course, this was an alarm bell after the 50-year celebrations and the feeling that the state has this great momentum of accomplishments, that there are also challenges, and the most prominent challenges are those that target your security and stability." he said.
The Emirati diplomat added: "We should not have lived with this challenge, but rather took all the necessary steps to address it, and there were measures to protect the country, but in addition to this there was also a test and still is for many of our alliances, because many of our alliances really depend on the issue of commitment and therefore there is undoubtedly the need to review The nature of the commitment obligations” as he put it.
Gargash continued, saying of the Houthi attack: “We cannot accept that things are going back to normal in the face of this challenge because this is something unnatural and We do not accept that we live under the threat of a non-governmental militia that decides how it will be opposed to the UAE and other countries.” He believed that the UAE should follow the principle of "a hand that builds and a hand that protects," according to him.
Speaking on the Emirates’ alliances, the former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs said: “We are still in the process of reordering our affairs, reconsidering our alliances and confirming that these alliances are part of the overall system to protect the UAE.”
The Emirati diplomat criticized the division of countries by some Western analysts into democratic and authoritarian countries, saying: “The division of countries into democratic and authoritarian countries by some Western analysts is a rejected proposition because it means: “Either if you are with us, you are a democratic country, or if you are against us, you are authoritarian.” The truth is that the space between the accepted regimes as democratic and authoritarian is large.. This is a kind of political propaganda."
On a related issue, Gargash explained that the “bridge-building” approach of UAE diplomacy with the countries of the region is due to the fact that the “middle” country in terms of population, as he described it, can only be within an ” Arab or regional bloc” in the face of a region undergoing change and harsh conditions.
Gargash pointed out that the UAE believes in resolving disputes with other countries through diplomatic channels, which can take longer and be more patient, but that their consequences remain much less than “open confrontations,” as he put it.
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We have to focus on local defense industry enhancement and kick out dependence-corrupt mentality that make us keep importing defense weapon that can easily be embargoed later as it seen in Russian-Ukraine war. Potential future conflict is not only limited to China, but Singapore, Malaysia, and Australia with high Western power support, it is despite the probability is very small but we have EEZ dispute with Malaysia in Ambalat for example.
Not to mention something bad may happen in Papua island where majority has Christian followers, something like happening in East Timor in 1990 ( Santa Cruz) accident that prompted US defense embargo (where later European Union (EU) also embargo Indonesia as Western power is likely to unite) can potentially happen in the future in Papua.
I prefer increasing R&D budget in relation to defense sector instead of buying imported weapons abroad. We have 5 state owned companies working in defense sector, subsidizing their R&D is not a sin, even USA government subsidize their local defense companies which are basically private owned.
Talking about fighter jets, I prefer we focus on KF21/IFX program rather than adding more Rafale fighters and buying F 15EX. State budget is already very tight with Jokowi administration focus on economic development and infrastructure projects. We cannot afford to have more Rafale and buy F 15 EX.
Some defense procurement that is now much beyond our capability like satellite military of course can be procured abroad with TOT and also preference for company that has already had good connection with our local companies like Airbus Defense.
Another Joint venture with foreign companies in important defense assets like submarine should also be funded by state budget as it leads to independency rather than just buying imported defense equipment.
Procurement for some CN 235 planes and N 219 Maritime version needs to be done as well