KUWAIT: (From left) Defense Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Khaled Al-Sabah, Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah and National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem attend an emergency meeting yesterday. - Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

KUWAIT: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah has urged MPs to shoulder responsibilities toward national unity, abstain from meddling in Kuwait's ties with regional states and support the state's mediation to resolve the Gulf crisis, the National Assembly speaker announced yesterday.

 

Marzouq Ali Al-Ghanem, speaking to reporters following a scheduled meeting with MPs and government officials at the parliament bureau, said he conveyed a letter from HH the Amir to the legislators during "the very positive meeting" attended by five ministers and 28 deputies.

 

"I presented to the meeting the message from His Highness the Amir in which he signaled the critical and extraordinary regional circumstances," he said, emphasizing that the MPs must shoulder their responsibilities and refrain from getting involved in Kuwait's external ties with regional states.

 

The Amir, Ghanem added, urged lawmakers to shoulder the national responsibility of safeguarding national unity and abstaining from action that might cause disarray among the people. A lot of information can neither be publicized nor explained to the public, "however His Highness is well aware of the hazards and fears preoccupying MPs and the Kuwaiti people," he said.

 

In response, the Assembly members affirmed their commitment to preserving the society's unity and pledged not to make inflammatory statements. The speaker expressed pride of the Kuwaiti people who enjoy significant freedoms and democracy, "yet during hard times, we close ranks behind our political leadership".

 

Ghanem added that First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah spoke about regional issues and Kuwait's mediation among GCC countries, hoping that HH the Amir's efforts would result in tackling the inter-GCC rift.

 

The meeting dealt with other issues, namely the so-called Abdaly cell case, state security, public fund cases, measures by the interior ministry to bring to justice those charged, the corrupt and traitors, "with emphasis that judicial rules be the basis for determining the truth and the law be applied literally and justly".

 

Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah said the meeting was "very positive and fruitful". The session focused on regional situations, measures taken against the Abdaly cell and action against fugitives from justice in this case, Sheikh Mohammad, who doubles as Acting Minister of Information, told reporters.

 

During the meeting, the government briefed deputies on all details it had regarding such matters, the minister said. Sheikh Mohammad thanked the deputies for their high spirits which helped in the success of the meeting, hoping that patriotic sentiments would prevail and that Kuwait's security and stability would be maintained.  - KUNA