Anwar Gargash: diplomacy demands balance between flexibility and resolve

Abu Dhabi: Diplomacy and negotiation require a careful balance between flexibility and holding firmly to a position that serves the national interest, Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE President, said on Friday.

In a post on X, Gargash said successful negotiations depended on a realistic assessment of the leverage available to those at the table, rather than exaggeration or escalation.

“Diplomacy and the art of negotiation are a delicate balance between flexibility and steadfastness on a clear position that reflects the national interest,” he 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 said diplomatic efforts could falter when negotiators misread the balance of power or fail to adopt a realistic approach to the circumstances they face.

“Without an accurate understanding of the balance of power, realism in assessment and balance in performance, efforts falter,” he said.

He concluded with a proverb underscoring the need to avoid extremes in negotiations: “As the saying goes: do not be so rigid that you break, nor so soft that you are squeezed.”