SUBSCRIPTION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2016 RABI AL-AWWAL 22, 1438 AH www.kuwaittimes.net 1,464 tickets 4 policemen Bollywood’s Kuwaiti female issued for not killed in new Kareena Kapoor shooter Afrah using seatbelts, shootout and Saif Ali dreams of using mobiles3 in Jordan8 Khan36 have baby Olympic15 glory MPs submit draft law Min 03º Max 15º High Tide to cut expat numbers 07:07 & 18:13 Low Tide Fadhl demands holiday on Xmas, large tree on Safat Square 11:18 & 23:59 40 PAGES NO: 17087 150 FILS By B Izzak KUWAIT: Five Kuwaiti lawmakers yesterday submitted a Freed Kuwaitis return home from Iran draft law calling to cut the number of expatriates in Kuwait in order to reach a demographic balance within KUWAIT: Four Kuwaitis arrested several days five years. The bill - signed by MPs Khalil Abul, Oudah Al- ago in Iran’s southwestern region of Ahvaz Oudah, Abdulwahab Al-Babtain, Omar Al-Tabtabaei and returned to Kuwait yesterday. The four were Ahmad Al-Fadhl - the last three being first-time lawmak- released on Monday and handed over to the ers, calls to establish a higher national committee for Kuwaiti Embassy in Tehran. They were wel- the demographic structure to be headed by the interior comed yesterday at Kuwait airport by family minister. and friends, along with senior officials. The proposed committee will take the necessary Assistant Foreign Minister for Consular measures to make Kuwaitis and expatriates equal in Affairs Sami Al-Hamad congratulated the gov- number after five years. At present, out of a population ernment and citizens over the release of the of 4.4 million people, Kuwaitis make up just 30 percent, four men. He said the foreign ministry, on the or 1.33 million. MP Abul however said that domestic instructions of Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah helpers, currently totaling over 650,000, so-called con- Al-Khaled Al-Sabah and Deputy Foreign tract workers who are recruited to work on specific Minister Khaled Al-Jarallah, made direct con- large development projects and children of Kuwaiti tacts with the Iranian authorities for the speedy women with non-Kuwaiti husbands are exempt from release of the Kuwaitis. He lauded the efforts the law. Also, the draft law stipulates that the size of any sin- exerted by all sides, particularly praising the gle foreign community should not exceed 30 percent of major role played by Kuwaiti diplomats in Iran. the total foreigners in the country. Based on a rough Kuwait had summoned the Iranian ambassa- calculation by Kuwait Times, the number of Kuwaitis dor on Friday and demanded the release of the after five years is expected to reach 1.6 million, which men. Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Rai had reported means that expatriates have to be equal to them at 1.6 the four were on a fishing trip when they million. Adding domestic helpers, contract workers and strayed into Iranian waters and were detained children of Kuwaiti women, the number of expatriates on Friday. Kuwait recalled its ambassador from will be around 2.3 million after five years. Tehran in January after relations were broken This would mean that if new recruitment is totally off between Saudi Arabia and Iran following suspended, which is impossible, as many as 800,000 attacks on the kingdom’s missions. A Kuwaiti expatriates will have to be cut. Applying the 30 percent and an Iranian were sentenced to death in quota limitation, most of the cut will have to be made January by a court in Kuwait for spying for Iran KUWAIT: Four Kuwaitis who were arrested several days ago in Iran are welcomed at Kuwait airport by family and from Indians, who exceed 900,000 now, and Egyptians, and Lebanon’s Hezbollah group. — Agencies friends and senior officials yesterday. — KUNA who are close to 600,000 people. Continued on Page 13 Rebels warned to quit Aleppo Russia, Iran, Turkey agree on need to widen truce ALEPPO: Syria’s army yesterday urged the a ceasefire, according to Lavrov, who said last remaining rebels and civilians to the evacuation of east Aleppo should fin- Kuwait moves leave the besieged opposition enclave in ish within “one or two days”. Aleppo as it prepares to take full control The foreign ministers from Russia, Iran annual DC party of the devastated city. The evacuation of and Turkey adopted a document they Aleppo’s rebel sector is seen as a pivotal called the “Moscow Declaration”, which to Trump hotel moment in the nearly six-year war that set out the principles that any peace has killed more than 310,000 people and agreement should follow. “Iran, Russia WASHINGTON: Kuwait yesterday said it would host triggered a major humanitarian and and Turkey are ready to facilitate the its annual Washington party at Donald Trump’s new refugee crisis. Following a flurry of diplo- drafting of an agreement, which is hotel, underscoring the president-elect’s unusual matic activity, key regime allies Russia already being negotiated, between the status as the owner of a major venue for events in and Iran as well as rebel supporter Turkey Syrian government and the opposition, the US capital. Sheikh Salem Al-Sabah, Kuwait’s agreed to act as guarantors in Syria peace and to become its guarantors,” the decla- BERLIN: Forensic experts examine the scene yesterday around a truck that crashed ambassador to the US, said the party would take talks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei ration said. into a Christmas market near the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. — AFP place on Feb 25, adding that he hopes guests like Lavrov said. They also backed expanding Continued on Page 13 the “new hotel in town”. He said no one pressed him Berlin truck rampage to move the Kuwaiti National Day event from its regular venue at the Four Seasons. Although Kuwait did not have a contract with the Four Seasons for suspect still at large the party, the date had been set aside for it to possi- bly take place there. “I do not know President-elect Trump,” the Amir condemns attack ambassador told AP in a telephone interview. “I do not know any of his people. None of his people BERLIN: A Pakistani asylum-seeker sus- sent a cable of condolences to German have contacted me.” He added: “I thought would be pected of ploughing a lorry into a Berlin Chancellor Angela Merkel over the vic- exciting for our guests to see a new venue. It looks Christmas market, killing 12, was tims of the attack. The Amir sharply con- great. It looks cool. So let’s do it.” Sheikh Salem not- released yesterday for lack of evidence, demned the attack as a heinous criminal ed that last year’s reception occurred at the leaving investigators to pursue their hunt act that targeted innocents, and breach- Newseum, a museum promoting the media. for the real perpetrator of the massacre. es all religions and human values. He also Sheikh Salem ridiculed the notion that he “The accused, detained over the attack reiterated Kuwait’s support to all meas- would choose the DC hotel to curry favor with the on the Berlin Christmas market on ures Germany is taking to confront ter- next administration. “We have very deep econom- December 19, 2016, was let go on this rorist acts that aim at disrupting its secu- ic, military and cultural ties; we’ve had tens of evening on the orders of the federal rity and stability. thousands of American troops in our country,” he prosecutor,” the prosecutor’s office said in HH the Amir further reaffirmed said, noting Kuwait’s basing of forces for US opera- a statement. “The forensic tests carried Kuwait’s unshakable position based on tions in Afghanistan and to fight the Islamic State out so far did not provide evidence of rejecting all forms and manifestations of group. “You think a two-hour reception in a ball- MOSCOW: (From left) Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Russian the accused’s presence during the crimes terrorism, and backing the international room does that?” — AP Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in the cab of the lorry.” community in its fight against terrorism. attend a press conference yesterday. — AFP A “soldier” of the Islamic State group HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al- carried out the truck attack, a news Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and HH the agency linked to the militants said yester- Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al- day. “A soldier of the Islamic State carried Hamad Al-Sabah sent the Germany chan- Erdogan opens first Bosphorus road tunnel out the Berlin operation in response to cellor similar cables. appeals to target citizens of coalition Berlin’s police chief Klaus Kandt had ISTANBUL: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan relieve congestion in the traffic-clogged The tunnel required an investment of $1.2 countries,” the IS-linked Amaq news earlier said “we may have a dangerous yesterday opened the first ever road tunnel Turkish megacity. After cutting the ceremoni- billion, including loans of $960 million, and agency said in a statement posted online. criminal in the area”, and announced that underneath the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, al ribbon, Erdogan joined a vast cortege of will reduce driving time for the route from up The Pakistani man was arrested after security would be boosted while urging the latest project in his plan of transforming vehicles making the first undersea car journey to 2 hours to just 15 minutes. It was built by a Germany daily Die Welt said a witness “heightened vigilance”. Investigators Turkey’s infrastructure. The opening ceremony between the two continents, stopping consortium consisting of private Turkish con- saw the suspected driver jump out of the asked the public to send them any pho- - which brought together Turkey’s entire ruling halfway to take souvenir photos.