00:00I spoke with Lana Nasebi, the UAE Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
00:05and its former ambassador to the United Nations.
00:08We've had an incredibly challenging 14 days. We're two weeks into this conflict that, as you said,
00:13we did not want to be drawn into. In fact, we were very engaged in diplomatic efforts prior
00:19to this escalation to try and avoid a conflict in the region. But now that it has happened,
00:24I think the UAE has demonstrated two or three things. First of all, that it prioritizes the
00:30protection, the security and the well-being of its resident and Emirati population. Second,
00:36you've seen that our economy is very resilient. So people are back at work. We will have a bounce
00:43back in our economy this year. I have no doubt about that. It is a safe place to work and
00:47do business.
00:48And thirdly, you see that everyone has rallied around the model that is being attacked in the
00:53UAE and the Gulf as islands of stability and prosperity. No one is signed up to the model
00:59that Iran is propagating with its illegal and unlawful attacks on all the Gulf region,
01:06which have been egregious. I think the priority right now is defending the country against these
01:12attacks and ensuring it doesn't disrupt normal life. But of course, we have been preparing
01:17for various scenarios in a very turbulent region for decades. So these are not new plans.
01:22We have had contingency plans in place since prior to this point. I think they're coming in because
01:29they recognize that UAE interests are, in fact, global interests. They're, of course, the wider
01:35regional stability of Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean is incredibly important. But globally,
01:42the Straits of Hormuz, a fifth of the world's energy supplies, passes through that narrow waterway.
01:47And this has an impact on not only global energy prices, but global food security and food supplies.
01:54The UN has estimated that there's been an 18% increase in their ability to give aid to those
02:00most in need in terms of food insecurity, for example, as a result of this. So Iran must not be
02:06allowed to
02:07hold the global economy hostage by its rogue state behavior. I think fundamentally the red lines are
02:15the security, the prosperity, the well-being of our Emirati community and our expatriate community here.
02:22We consider all of them part of this country and they deserve our protection. So that is our red line.
02:28Don't touch this model.
02:32On the final day of the Global Baku Forum, a panel on how to reset the international system. And many
02:38here are saying it's about time, like two former leaders of what used to be the Balkan tinderbox
02:43criticizing the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. The former president of Serbia slamming what he calls
02:50the wild side of history. Iran's war is triggering a new crisis after Ukraine involving second big power
02:59in the war. Right now they can criticize each other. Russia, United States, United States, Russia because
03:05of dismantling international war law, but can make big problems and a crisis in all regional countries.
03:14Even Azerbaijan can be affected very much. A democratic opposition leader against the
03:19Milosevic regime, Tadic criticizes the U.S.-led bombings of Serbia during the Kosovo War and other
03:26actions today. When big powers are trying to conquer parts of other sovereign countries or intervening
03:34like this, capturing presidents of other countries or killing presidents of other countries at the
03:40member state of the United Nations, this is a disaster situation. So what's the solution? Tadic says no
03:46way out without a U.N.-led reset. The White House and Donald Trump, they are failing underestimating Iran.
03:53They cannot finish that conflict within few weeks. This is not possible. And this is not likelihood
04:00solution of the current conflict. I think that we need the interlocutors right now. We are bringing to the
04:07wild side of the history. And we have to come back to the international law. And this is
04:13the only solution we can have. We have to enhance the authority of the United Nations, multilateral
04:18institutions. And the former president of Croatia, who led his country to EU membership in 2013,
04:25fears a downward global spiral without a diplomatic solution. Things like oil, as energy, like food.
04:33There are many, many people who are escaping, who are trying to escape from the war. It causes another
04:40problem. And it's a very, very huge humanitarian problem as well. That's why he even fears a third
04:47world war. This type of wars tend to generate new wars, especially when superpowers are interested in
04:55development like Russia, like China and the others. So I'm really afraid that the possible scenario is
05:02also the world war. That's all for now as the Global Baku Forum wraps up with a war on its
05:07doorstep.
05:08Chris Burns, Euronews, Baku, Azerbaijan.
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