Sheikh Sabah vows to protect constitution as new Assembly session opens

KUWAIT: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah speaks as HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (right) and Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem (left) listen on during the opening ceremony of the new legislative session of the National Assembly yesterday. - Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

KUWAIT: Kuwait, the main mediator in a near-five month political crisis between Qatar and its Gulf rivals led by Saudi Arabia, warned yesterday that the dispute could escalate. HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, in an address to the National Assembly, also said that Kuwait's goal was to save the Gulf Cooperation Council union from "cracking and collapsing".

On June 5, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, as well as Egypt, severed all diplomatic and trade ties with Qatar, accusing the gas-rich emirate of supporting extremist groups and having too close ties to Iran. Kuwait has led mediation efforts since then, but without success. "Everyone should know that Kuwait's mediation is based on a keen awareness that this crisis risks escalation," Sheikh Sabah said. The worsening of the breakdown between Doha and the Saudi-led bloc leaves Gulf states vulnerable to foreign interference, he warned.

"An escalation would be an explicit invitation for regional and international intervention, which would have serious consequences for the security of the Gulf nations and their people," HH the Amir said. "History and future generations will not forgive anyone who contributes, even one word, to fuelling this dispute." Kuwait is the host of the next GCC summit due in December and has so far not sent out invitations to Gulf leaders before resolving the crisis. Reports have said that the summit will most likely be delayed.

Sheikh Sabah also affirmed that the commitment to the constitution in Kuwait is stable and belief in parliamentary work is firmly established, saying "I am the one who protects the constitution and will not allow it to be prejudiced", because it is the basic guarantee after God Almighty. During the opening of the second ordinary session of the 15th legislative term of the Assembly, HH the Amir said regional developments and challenges have made parliamentary work a national benefit to "strengthen our most important national gains". He underlined the importance of security as the bedrock of Kuwait's welfare and development, affirming that uniting people around the concept of national unity will bring upon a bright future. - Agencies