Causes of Mideast protest movements were domestic
CGTN
Last week I attended the Mediterranean Dialogue in Rome, a forum for high-ranking officials to talk about issues relating to the Middle East. Over its two days, the foreign ministers of Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Algeria, Lebanon, Israel and Palestine were questioned on stage, along with other officials from the UN and other international agencies and think tanks.
Much of the focus over the two days' conference was what governments of the Middle East could do to respond to the various challenges they are currently facing in what is a highly contested region.
To stimulate thought and discussion, the theme for the dialogue was "Beyond Turmoil, A Positive Agenda." To that end, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir called himself an "optimist" and talked up U.S. President Donald Trump's peace plan for the Palestinians.
