Diplomatic adviser to the UAE President stresses that effective negotiation requires a realistic assessment of leverage rather than rigid posturing or overreach.
ABU DHABI, August 28, 2026:Diplomacy and conflict negotiation demand a careful equilibrium between operational flexibility and maintaining firm positions tied directly to core national interests, Dr. Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, said on Friday.
In a statement published on social media platform X, Gargash cautioned that political negotiations risk failure when key actors misjudge the actual balance of power or rely on exaggerated leverage rather than pragmatic assessments of the geopolitical environment.
Successful crisis management depends heavily on a negotiator’s ability to evaluate available strategic cards accurately without resorting to rhetoric, hyperbole, or unnecessary escalation.
“Diplomacy and the art of negotiation are a delicate balance between flexibility and steadfastness on a clear position that reflects the national interest,” Gargash said. “The success of managing this balance depends on a realistic assessment of the cards available to the negotiator, away from exaggeration and escalation.”
Gargash noted that diplomatic momentum frequently stalls when negotiators fail to adopt a grounded approach or miscalculate the broader strategic context.
“Without an accurate understanding of the balance of power, realism in assessment and balance in performance, efforts falter,” he added.
Closing his remarks, the senior UAE official cited a traditional proverb to illustrate the hazards of ideological rigidity and over-compromise in high-stakes regional talks: “Do not be so rigid that you break, nor so soft that you are squeezed.”
The comments follow a series of strategic assessments by Gargash regarding regional security, maritime stability in the Strait of Hormuz, and the role of balanced foreign policy in navigating ongoing Middle East tensions. Throughout recent regional friction, Abu Dhabi has maintained a posture combining deterrence, international legal compliance, and sustained channels for diplomatic de-escalation
