News :: Kuwait

Amir calls for special Assembly session

KUWAIT: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Saturday issued an Amiri decree to hold an extraordinary National Assembly session on Monday to discuss the Amiri grant. The first item of the decree called for holding the National Assembly session July 31, while the second states that the Prime Minister is responsible for informing the National Assembly over the decree, which will also be published in the official gazette. The government had earlier referred a draft law on the Amiri grant to Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly MP Ahmad Al-Mulaifi with the request for an extraordinary session on Monday to discuss this issue.

According to the draft law “an Amiri grant of 200 dinars will be paid once to each citizen and entire amount will be paid from the reserve fund of the state and added to the expenditure of 2006/2007.” Sources say Al-Mulaifi recently called Deputy Premier, Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Dr Ismael Al-Shatti to confirm that 25 MPs, who are currently in the country, have conveyed their willingness to attend the extraordinary session.

Meanwhile, MP Abdulwahed Al-Awadi, who launched a campaign to collect the signatures of MPs to ensure their attendance at Sunday’s session, said “such a generous gesture from HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, who is always keen to ease the burden on the shoulders of citizen, is not strange.”
Al-Awadi stressed prices of consumer goods should be closely monitored and greedy merchants should not be given an opportunity to misuse the Amiri grant, saying “the government must establish shareholding investment companies and shares of such companies must be distributed to citizens to encourage them to save.”

By Raed Yousef - Special to the Arab Times and Agencies 

Amir receives Crown Prince, PM

    His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Saturday received in Seif Palace His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. His Highness also received His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. Sheikh Sabah later visited Sheikh Nawaf at Seif Palace. The meeting was attended by the Deputy Head of the National Guards Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah; HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah; Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr Mohammad Al-Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah; and Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of State for the Ministerial Council Affairs Dr Ismail Al-Shatti.

Also present at the meeting were Minister of Energy Sheikh Ali Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah; Minister of Health, Acting Minister of Interior and Acting Minister of Defense Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah; and Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.

 The mseeting was also attended by Head of the National Security Agency Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah; Director of Citizens Service and Government Bodies Assessment Agency Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah; the Undersecretary of Crown Prince Diwan Sheikh Mubarak Al-Faisal Al-Saud Al-Sabah; and Undersecretary of Amiri Diwan for Protocols Affairs Sheikh Khaled Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah Al-Nasser Al-Sabah

News

ISLAMABAD (KUNA): His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah asserted here on Monday the deep-rooted bilateral relations between Kuwait and Pakistan, stressing at the same time the need to bolster them in various spheres. This came during a dinner banquet held in his honor by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on the occasion of the Amir’s visit to the country. Sheikh Sabah said that the visit comes as "an appreciation from us to the strong ties between the two countries... such ties that are continually becoming even more stronger supported by identical and united targets in the political, economic, humanitarian and cultural issues.

Sheikh Sabah expressed hope an increase in the trade, economic and investment exchange can be achieved, besides reciprocal benefit from each other’s accumulative experiences, human resources and technical expertise "for the sake of boosting the process of development in our countries. Sheikh Sabah also said "we recall with pride the firm stance by Pakistan and its people during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and your contribution with the Muslim and friendly countries in deterring the invasion especially during your membership in the Security Council then.

Sheikh Sabah also pointed to the role played by the Pakistani community in Kuwait in the economic, social and professional spheres, adding that such presence of the community forms one of the vital links of interests between the two countries. Sheikh Sabah also said "we appreciate the role played by Pakistan towards pressing issues in our Islamic world.

Expressed
Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf expressed on Monday his country’s gratitude for the generous support extended by the state of Kuwait following the aftermath of the castastrophic earthquake that struck parts of the country last October. "Kuwait is held in special esteem by Pakistan. We admire the vision of Kuwait’s leadership, he said. He also said that "Pakistan and Kuwait share the same vision and aspiration for peace and stability of our region and prosperity and economic development of our people, adding "we are keenly interested in further expanding our collaborative relations and raising then to yet higher levels for the mutual benefit of our two countries. On terrorism, Musharraf said it is important to extend a hand of friendship to people of diverse faiths and culture and "we need reform to root out extremist tendancies in the Muslim world.

Meanwhile, Kuwait and Indian on Monday expressed satisfaction on the current state of bilateral relations and they also underlined the need for the continuance of this relations by the new generations of both countries.
A joint statement on the occasion of finalizing the visit of His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to India, said the Amir held wide ranging and very fruitful talks with the President of India Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

The two sides also agreed to set up working groups on investments, energy, petrochemicals, labor and manpower development, and other areas as required. The working groups will meet in the second half of July 2006 in New Delhi and submit their reports to the Joint Commission. In New Delhi, His Highness the Amir addressed a luncheon meeting of representatives of the Indian chambers of commerce and industry. His Highness the Amir also visited Mumbai, where the accompanying business delegations met their counterparts. "The Kuwaiti side briefed the Indian side on the proposed reforms in the labor laws which will protect the interests of skilled and unskilled labor in Kuwait. The statement also addressed terrorism and the two sides denounced all forms of terrorism and stressed its keenness in boosting bilateral coordination on this issue as well as cooperation within the UN framework.

Regarding Iran, the statement states that "While Iran has the right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, it can be done in consonance with its international obligations. The two sides also stressed that "resolution of the current issues have to be through dialogue and consultation, giving diplomacy a chance so that confrontations will be avoided at all costs."