cabinetKUWAIT: The cabinet yesterday entrusted the Foreign Ministry and other relevant bodies with taking necessary legal procedures to break off the agreement between the Kuwaiti government and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), of Law 6/2006. The decision was made during the routine cabinet meeting held at Bayan Palace under chairmanships of His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.

The meeting reviewed the sports scene in Kuwait in the wake of the recent decision by the Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) suspending the Kuwait Olympic Committee (KOC), said Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah.

As the meeting started, the ministers were informed of a message from the British Prime Minister David Cameron inviting His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to attend a conference for donors to the Syrian people, slated for February in London.

In his message, Cameron lauded His Highness the Amir's leading humanitarian role supporting the Syrian people, manifested in the First, Second and Third International Humanitarian Pledging Conferences for Syria, Kuwait hosted over three successive years, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah added.

The cabinet was also apprised of the message His Highness the Amir received from Russian President Vladimir Putin on Moscow's efforts to counter terrorism and terrorist organizations. The meeting was given notice of two messages from Presidents of the Republic of Chad Idriss Deby, and the Republic of Vanuatu Baldwin Lonsdale, on means of enhancing bilateral ties in all fields.

Amir's address

Meanwhile, the cabinet emphasized the significance of His Highness the Amir's address at the inauguration of the National Assembly's 4th session of the 14th legislative term last week, the Cabinet Affairs Minister stated. The address accurately diagnosed the challenges and risks facing Kuwait amid regional developments, escalation and tension.

The meeting underlined His Highness the Amir's directives that consolidate the potential of national unity, maintain the nation's security and stability, push ahead the wheel of development and reform, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah said.

His Highness the Amir stressed the necessity of carrying on with economic reform and the confrontation against corruption, underlining the importance of cooperation between the government and the National Assembly to achieve the aspired goals of the nation.

National assembly

During yesterday's meeting, the cabinet discussed the National Assembly agenda, focusing on today's grilling session. MP Mohammad Al-Enezi had submitted an interpellation against Minister of Social Affairs and Labor and Minister of State for Planning and Development Hind Al-Subaih.

The ministers commended the Al-Subaih's convincing replies to all the pivots of the request, noting that the outcome of the grilling was a consolidation of the healthy parliamentary practice. They congratulated the minister.

Then, First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah briefed the cabinet on the recent visit to Kuwait by Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom and Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist. The visit addressed bilateral relations and joint coordination toward the latest developments on the regional and the international arenas.

In the meantime, the cabinet approved and referred to His Highness the Amir a draft bill amending article 200 repeated of Kuwait's Code of Criminal Procedure No. 17/1960. The bill will later find its way to the National Assembly.

The cabinet reviewed a recommendation by the legal affairs committee on setting up a Kuwaiti-Canadian university in Kuwait, whose core task will be to enrich the intellectual, scientific and applied scene of the Kuwaiti society.

Labor market

It will also work on fulfilling the needs of the labor market, as well as contributing to developing the society and handling its problems through scientific research. The cabinet also approved two draft decrees pertinent to a memo of understanding for cooperation between Kuwait and Japan in the field of infrastructure, and an agreement in the field of cultural and technical cooperation between Kuwait and Senegal.

It then reviewed a report presented by Minister of Justice, Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Yaqoub Al-Sanea on cases related to public funds as a prelude to sending them to the National Assembly. The cabinet also offered heartfelt condolence to Russian President Vladimir Putin and the people of Russia over the victims of the recent Russian air crash in Egypt's Sinai.

Saudi mosque attack

Meanwhile, the cabinet condemned a recent 'terrorist attack targeting a mosque in Najran in Saudi Arabia, which left one worshipper dead and several others wounded. The cabinet said in a statement following its customary meeting that Kuwait rejects such terrorist acts that run counter with all human values and norms.

It also wished those injured in the attack swift recovery and Saudi Arabia everlasting security and stability. One person was killed and others were injured last week when a suicide bomber blew himself up inside a mosque in the Saudi southern city of Najran, the Interior Ministry said. The suicide bomber, who was wearing an explosive belt, entered the Mashhad Mosque in the Dahdha neighborhood while worshippers were leaving after performing Maghreb prayers, it said. - KUNA