Turkey’s electioneering has already started in earnest

Readers discuss congestion, water scarcity, Iran and Erdogan

A supporter of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan cheers as she waits for the start of his speech in Istanbul this week. Bulent Kilic / AFP

I write in reference to your article Turkey to launch new cross-border operations after election (May 7): in a recent speech, Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for cross-border cooperation to combat terrorism. It is likely to be among his party's top priorities if it is victorious in the June elections.

It underscored Turkey’s participation in the ongoing Syrian crisis, which is still a hotbed for terror groups. With little concerted opposition, Mr Erdogan looks as strong as ever in Turkey.

K Ragavan, Denver

Faster public transport would ease the burden on UAE roads

In reference to your online article UAE traffic: Standstill traffic on roads across the country (May 6), the extraordinary number of private cars that fill the congested road networks in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah is truly alarming. As far as I'm concerned, public transport is the only solution to this problem.

And yet public transport, such as the metro and buses in Dubai, take far longer than driving. We know from other cities across the globe that when public transport is very cheap, fast and easy, few people will go out of their way to buy and use private cars. More public transport and other schemes like taxi-sharing would reduce the terrible congestion that so many of us tolerate in the major UAE cities.

MA Mannan, Abu Dhabi

Fog harvesting could help address UAE’s water needs

I write in reference to your article Special report: Abu Dhabi's dwindling water reserves charted in worrying Sorbonne research (May 7): there is plenty of talk of so-called fog harvesting currently in the sustainability business. I wonder if the Gulf states have considered trying that. The UAE has plenty of fog during different parts of the year; it probably would not produce enough water to supply the country but it might lighten the load a little, especially if you push agriculture and street greenery towards drought-tolerant plants and use fog harvesting to water those.

Name withheld by request

With Trump in Oval Office, you cannot rule anything out

I write in reference to David Rothkopf's opinion piece The only country which stands to lose from a nuclear pull-out is the US (May 7): I personally think it is unlikely that the US will pull out of the Iran nuclear deal but with US President Donald Trump in office, you can never rule anything out. One thing is clear: it is a very tricky situation that will require diplomatic and strategic skill and needs to be handled with extreme caution and care.

Name withheld by request