UAE joins chorus of concern over Doklam: 

UAE joins chorus of concern over Doklam: 

Context

• Any military escalation between India and China would be “potentially very disruptive” for the region, said Anwar Gargash, the visiting Minister of Foreign Affairs from the United Arab Emirates.

Gargash discussing Doklam issue

• Mr. Gargash discussed the current standoff at Doklam with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval in Delhi on Wednesday.
• “We were informed of the developments and the concerns on Doklam and I have also been following the issue through reports in the press,” Mr. Gargash made his statement.
• Mr. Gargash joined other countries including Australia and the U.S. in expressing concern about the situation.
• Any escalation between two great powers, India and China is potentially very disruptive for all of us, said Mr. Gargash.
• The more there is a way to resolve these issues between two great nations, the more stable we feel we are,” he added.

Mr. Gargash visit

• Mr. Gargash was in Delhi on his fifth trip this year to discuss deepening bilateral ties, but also as a part of a diplomatic offensive by Gulf states following their economic blockade over what they call Qatar’s broken promises on ending support to “extremism, jihadism and terrorism”.
• The Minister assured the Indian leadership that Indian expatriates would not “suffer” because of the blockade and “Indian economic interests in the region” would not be affected by the clash between Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE and Egypt against Qatar that has dragged on since June 3.
• Mr. Gargash also accepted that program on proposed investment from the UAE sovereign wealth fund (SWF) into Indian infrastructure projects had been overdue over procedural negotiations, and specifically the mandate of the governing body of the National Infrastructure Investment Fund (NIIF).
• The investment has been delayed despite two visits by UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed al-Nahyan to India in the past two years, and a visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Emirates.
• The whole idea of UAE investment in India was an old model, and should have been more institutional that is why things have taken more time because of the establishment of the NIIF, according to Mr. Gargash.
• The minister wouldn’t confirm that the figure of $75 billion announced during Mr. Modi’s visit would flow into the NIIF’s coffers, as “UAE has said we have a huge appetite for India.”