SUBSCRIPTION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 2017 RAJAB 8, 1438 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Mogherini: May arrives in Coast Investment Qatar in Kuwait playing Saudi Arabia & Development talks to positive role on mission Co records profit host Club in region2 to boost7 ties of21 KD 2.06m World20 Cup New board of directors of Min 19º Max 29º Kuwait Airways appointed High Tide 07:40 & 17:35 Low Tide Outgoing chairperson details resignation reasons 00:27 & 12:18 40 PAGES NO: 17189 150 FILS KUWAIT: Minister of Social Affairs and Labor and State to increase Scores killed in Syria gas attack Minister of State for Economic Affairs Hind Al-Sabeeh issued a decree forming a new board of directors at borrowing from Kuwait Airways, with Sami Fahd Al-Rasheed as chair- man. The decision also includes the appointment of global markets Faleh Abdullah Al-Reqba as deputy chairman and Iman Al-Humaidan, Ibrahim Al-Khuzam, Mohammad Al-Hilal, By B Izzak Tareq Al-Wazzan and Wafaa Al-Othman as board mem- bers. Under the new decree, the new board will remain KUWAIT: Kuwait will increase its borrowing on inter- in office for only three years. Established in 1953, Kuwait national markets to plug a budget deficit resulting Airways is one of the oldest airlines in the Gulf region. from low oil prices, the finance minister said yester- The move came after Rasha Al-Roumi resigned as the day. The move comes after the state raised $8 billion carrier’s chairperson yesterday after submitting a resig- last month in its first international bond issue. “We nation letter addressed to Deputy PM, Interior Minister will continue to be present in the international (debt) and Chairman of the Supreme Aviation Council Sheikh market but in a prudent, rational way,” Anas Al-Saleh Khaled Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah. In her resignation letter, told reporters at the Kuwait Financial Forum. “We will Roumi said she had been facing many challenges since use all instruments, including bonds and (Islamic) assuming office three years ago, despite the positive sukuk. This will go side by side with enforcing changes she managed to achieve. reforms,” he said. Roumi explained that the Kuwait Airways building On top of its international bond sales, Saleh said on Hilali Street in downtown Kuwait City was razed the government had raised domestic debt worth KD despite all attempts to retain it. She also noted that 2.2 billion ($7.2 billion) in 2016-2017. The govern- ment also withdrew unspecified amounts from its negotiations had gone on for 18 months to pay the reserves, estimated at $600 billion, to meet the company’s KD 600 million debt in full, which forced the budget deficit. Saleh said the government put for- carrier to borrow, which reduced the value of its assets ward a bill allowing the state to borrow up to KD 20 and capital compared to debts. Roumi also noted that a billion ($65.5 billion) over the next five years. KHAN SHEIKHOUN, Syria: Children are seen following a chemical attack at a makeshift hospital in this low-cost airline was granted more privileges than those Continued on Page 13 town in northern Idlib province yesterday. — AP (See Page 13) given to Kuwait Airways, which led to considerable loss- es of public funds. —Agencies LOCAL WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 2017 Kuwaiti FM Kuwait condemns heads to Brussels for Saint Petersburg Syria’s future bomb attack conference KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Ministry has expressed Kuwait’s con- KUWAIT: First Deputy Prime Minister and Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on demnation of the terrorist bombing Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Sabah Monday sent a cable of condolences to attacks that targeted St Petersburg Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah left to Russian President Vladimir Putin over underground stations in the Russian Brussels yesterday to take part in the the victims of the terrorist explosion in Federation, leaving dozens of people ‘Brussels Conference on Supporting the a metro station in the Russian city of St dead and injured. The source voiced Future of Syria and the Region,’ which Petersburg. Kuwait’s solidarity with Russia and its takes place today. The conference will His Highness the Amir expressed support to all measures it may take to discuss means of easing the suffering of strongest condemnation of the State of retain its security and stability. Syrians in their country and in neighbor- Kuwait as well as full solidarity with the The official reiterated Kuwait’s firm ing states. It is co-chaired by Kuwait, Russian people against this terrorist opposition to terrorism in all its forms Germany, Qatar, Norway, the UK, the UN act, which killed 10 people and injured and manifestations regardless of its and the EU. scores others. His Highness the Crown source and called on the international The event will also discuss progress Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al- community to redouble efforts to eradi- made since the fourth donors’ conference Jaber Al-Sabah, National Assembly cate the scourge of terrorism and rid the for Syria held in February 2016 in London. Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem and His world of its evils. The source also extend- Moreover, it will shed light on solutions to Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh ed condolences to the Russian govern- end the current war and set a roadmap to Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah ment and people, especially families of follow, once the conflict ends.—KUNA KUWAIT: First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Sabah Khaled sent similar cables. the victims, and wished the wounded Al-Hamad Al-Sabah leaves for Brussels yesterday. —KUNA An official source at the Foreign people speedy recovery. —KUNA Kuwait plays positive role in region: Mogherini BRUSSELS: EU High Representative Federica Mogherini lauded yesterday the role of Kuwait in finding political solutions to the regional conflicts. “We have worked with Kuwait a lot in the preparation for this conference and we have seen an active and positive role that Kuwait is play- ing especially in trying to bridge some of the positions in the region,” she said during a meeting with a small group of journalists yesterday afternoon ahead of the Brussels interna- tional conference on Syria today. “I hope and wish that a country like Kuwait can play a more prominent role in the political mediation,” said the EU foreign policy chief. Mogherini said she will EU High meet Kuwaiti First Deputy Representative Prime Minister and Minister of Federica Mogherini Foreign Affairs Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah either today or tomorrow to discuss not only the humani- tarian issue but also the political solution to the Syrian conflict. She stressed that all the countries in the region have a role to play in the political side as they have a direct inter- est to see that the conflict is not further protracted. “In the moment when we will hopefully soon come to the end of the conflict, we have to see that the situation is managed in a reasonable manner,” she said. “I have a clear sense of the fact that Europeans and the Gulf countries share a sense of urgency and seriousness of the situation (in Syria) and that it could only be solved politically,” she added. The European Union, Germany, Kuwait, Norway, Qatar, the United Kingdom and the United Nations will co-chair the Brussels Conference titled “Supporting the future of Syria and the region,” today. Mogherini said that represen- tatives from 70 delegations, including from the EU and the region but also the wider international community, the United Nations, major donors and civil society, humanitarian and development organizations, will attend the meeting. The conference will also assess where the internation- al community stands collectively in fulfilling commit- ments made at the London Conference in February 2016 and agree on additional efforts needed to meet the needs of those affected by the crisis. She said pledges for Syria will be announced tomorrow and hoped that the pledges made last year and this year for Syria will be maintained. Mogherini said discussions in tomorrow’s conference will also focus on how the international com- munity can support a lasting political resolution to the Syrian conflict through an inclusive and Syrian-led politi- cal transition process based on the relevant Security Council resolutions. Meanwhile, an EU statement noted that one year ago, the international community convened in London under the leadership of the United Kingdom, Germany, Kuwait, Norway and the United Nations, reaffirming its solidarity with millions of vulnerable people living in Syria and Syrian refugees and affected host countries in the region, and building on the commitments made at the three pre- vious pledging conferences in Kuwait from 2013-15. The Brussels conference will reconfirm existing pledges and identify additional support to Syrians in need inside Syria and in neighboring countries, as well as to the respective host communities, in response to the UN coordinated appeals. —KUNA Amir proposes ideas to resolve regional crises: Magazine BEIRUT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al- Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah has proposed ‘creative ideas’ aimed at defusing tensions and resolving conflicts in the region during the latest Arab sum- mit, disclosed a Lebanese magazine. The weekly Al-Sayyad said in its latest edition that His Highness the Amir put on the table ‘creative ideas’ designed to alleviate tensions in the region. “In the event, His Highness has gotten support (so that) regional strives can be turned into mere disagree- ments in opinion and a new era may be ushered in which our peoples will be relieved from perils of discords, wars and terrorism,” Sayyad said.