(ANSAmed) - DUBAI, DECEMBER 7 - Unless Syrian president Bashar
Al Assad brings in reforms he will inevitably be brought down,
and Iran is not developing nuclear weapons, and especially not
to carry out strikes on Israel. These are the fundamental points
of the analysis on regional politics by Dubai emir Sheikh
Mohammad al Maktum, vice president and prime minister of the
United Arab Emirates (UAE), a country which came out unscathed
from the waves of Arab Spring protest.
In an interview yesterday evening on the CNN International
programme Outfront, hosted by Erin Burnett, the Sheikh noted
that already in 2004 he had warned some regional leaders to
''change or you will be changed''.
''Syria is a more complicated case than Egypt or Libya due to
Iraq and Lebanon, but what the people want is work and
opportunities, and they are calling out for them forcefully.
Unless Bashar changes or begins to act in the interests of his people, it will go forward like this,'' said the sheikh, responding in the affirmative to the next question posed by the interviewer: ''is the alternative Al-Assad's leaving power?'' The UAE sheik did not seem concerned over Iran's nuclear ambitions, with which the UAE have opened a dispute over the occupation of three islands at the mouth of the Hormuz Strait. ''What would Iran do with a nuclear arsenal? And do you think that if Iran were to hit Israel this would ensure its security? Its cities would be gone the next next,'' commented Al Maktum, adding that ''I do not personally believe that Iran is developing a nuclear weapons programme.'' (ANSAmed).
Unless Bashar changes or begins to act in the interests of his people, it will go forward like this,'' said the sheikh, responding in the affirmative to the next question posed by the interviewer: ''is the alternative Al-Assad's leaving power?'' The UAE sheik did not seem concerned over Iran's nuclear ambitions, with which the UAE have opened a dispute over the occupation of three islands at the mouth of the Hormuz Strait. ''What would Iran do with a nuclear arsenal? And do you think that if Iran were to hit Israel this would ensure its security? Its cities would be gone the next next,'' commented Al Maktum, adding that ''I do not personally believe that Iran is developing a nuclear weapons programme.'' (ANSAmed).
