Union Leader Slams Expat Curbs, Blames Govt Failure
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SUBSCRIPTION MONDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2014 RABI ALAWWAL 7, 1436 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Expat labor US, NATO end Rescuers race to Chelsea and shelter safe 13-year Afghan save passengers Man City haven for war, but from burning suffer festive abused3 maids insurgency8 boils Italian10 ferry slumps20 Union leader slams expat Min 10º Max 24º curbs, blames govt failure High Tide 04:29 & 17:38 Low Tide Deportation for beach BBQ • No update, no travel • No fuel price hike 11:18 40 PAGES NO: 16387 150 FILS AirAsia plane By Hanan Al-Saadoun and Agencies KUWAIT: The head of the expatriate labor office at the Kuwait Trade Union Abdelrahman Al-Ghanem con- goes missing demned provocative statements made by several senior state officials, especially “those dealing with expatriates JAKARTA: Indonesia suspended until first light the as if they are aliens and not partners in work, success and search for an AirAsia plane that went missing yesterday development unlike other countries”. He said the raft of in the Java Sea with 162 people on board after the crew new rules and regulations “will not yield any benefit, have requested a change of flight plan due to stormy weath- negative effects, damage brotherly relations and inflame er. The Airbus A320-200 disappeared en route from the feelings of people of brotherly countries”. Surabaya in Indonesia’s east Java to Singapore, in the Ghanem accused government officials of being third crisis for a Malaysian “experts in escaping responsibility and facing failure, carrier this year. Around 11 which is the result of their actions, but blame the weak of hours later, the search halt- the country for it”. He said the fines the Interior Ministry is ed with no sign of the plane now collecting from expats who are in violation of the and was set to resume at 7 law that links the validity of the passport with the iqama am today - or earlier if the is no different than the “inventions of the government weather allows, Indonesian every now and then to divert people’s attention from the transport ministry official failures of its officials”. Hadi Mustofa told AFP. Ghanem said any official who wants to become the AirAsia said 155 of those “talk of the town” comes up with the “deportation slogan, on board Flight QZ8501 which is one of the tools of trading in humans”. He said were Indonesians, with following the interior ministry, the municipality came up three South Koreans and with the issue of barbequing at beaches, and wondered, one person each from Singapore, Malaysia, Britain and “Do not you have a new word other than this?” France. The Frenchman was the co-pilot. With hard Ghanem was referring to a statement by Director details few and far between, panicked relatives gath- General of Kuwait Municipality Ahmad Al-Subaih, who ered at Singapore’s Changi airport and in Surabaya hun- warned people grilling at beaches and public parks of a dreds of Indonesians thronged the terminal. BAGHDAD: Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah (left) shakes hands with his Iraqi KD 300 fine all the way to deportation. Continued on Page 13 counterpart Ibrahim Al-Jaafari following a meeting yesterday in the Iraqi capital. — AFP (See Page 2) Continued on Page 13 LOCAL MONDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2014 BAGHDAD: Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim Al-Jaafari (left) greets Kuwaiti BAGHDAD: Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim Al-Jaafari (right) listens to BAGHDAD: Kuwait’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah upon his arrival at Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah speaking dur- Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah during his meeting with Iraqi Prime Baghdad Airport yesterday. — AFP photos ing a press conference following a meeting yesterday. Minister Haider Al-Abadi. — KUNA Kuwait, Iraq ink deals on security, maritime movement Fourth joint committee meeting held in Baghdad BAGHDAD: Kuwait and Iraq have signed a he was received by Ambassador Ghassan Al- number of agreements and memos of under- Zawawi and staff members. standing for bilateral cooperation in various domains, with Kuwait to open two consulates Key issues in Basra and Irbil soon. Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled’s visit comes a The deals were signed by Kuwait’s First week after the visit of Iraqi Prime Minister Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Haidar Al-Abadi to Kuwait on December 21st, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah where he met with His Highness the Amir and Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim Al-Jaafari at Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and the wrapping-up of the Kuwaiti-Iraqi joint His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser committee meeting in Baghdad yesterday. The Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. agreements are primarily intended to serve In the joint committee’s previous meeting, the interests of the Kuwaiti and Iraqi people in the Kuwaiti side agreed to postpone the final diverse cooperative realms. Iraqi compensation payment to Kuwait for one Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled reaffirmed Kuwait’s year. The sum, worth $6.4 billion, was imposed support for Iraq’s fight against terrorist attacks by the UNSC as part of the compensations designed to impede this Arab country’s ongo- owed to Kuwait by Iraq for material damages ing efforts to restore its regional and interna- during the invasion in 1990. tional presence. The Kuwaiti-Iraqi committee was estab- Speaking at a joint news conference with lished in 2011 as part of the two countries’ rec- his Iraqi counterpart Ibrahim Al-Jaafari, Sheikh onciliation plan which focuses on addressing Sabah Al-Khaled said: “We have signed agree- BAGHDAD: (From left) Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce and Industry and Acting Minister of Finance Abdulmohsen Al- pending issues as well as finding means to ments and memos of understanding with the Mudej, and First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah during their meeting with Iraqi President develop relations on all possible domains. Iraqi side with a view to promoting bilateral Fuad Masum. — KUNA Since 2011, a number of key issues on the security cooperation.” ister hailed existing cooperation between try’s support for Iraq’s efforts to restore securi- and memos of understanding, together with improvement of Kuwaiti-Iraqi relations were He said Kuwait is willing to cooperate with both countries to resolve any possible prob- ty and stability. “Based on the principles of the agreements inked yesterday. discussed by the senior officials of both coun- Iraq in all fields, adding that he had met with lem in this regard, adding that the Kuwaiti side brotherliness and values of neighborliness, tries. Accords concerning the coordination of Iraqi President Fuad Masum and Prime had called for broadening cooperation in the we’d like to reiterate ultimate support for Iraq’s Fresh horizons maritime efforts in Khor Abdallah waterway, Minister Haider Al-Abadi on bilateral relations. field of fishing. efforts to build a safer and more stable present The Kuwaiti foreign minister cited intensive customs cooperation and investments were He said both sides had signed yesterday three Kuwait and Iraq are looking forward to pro- and a more prosperous tomorrow,” he said. mutual visits between Kuwaiti and Iraqi offi- amongst the most important deals struck dur- agreements for bilateral cooperation in vari- moting and developing bilateral cooperation “We are confident that the present dark cials as a clear-cut sign of mutual willingness ing the committee’s meetings. ous areas, bringing the total of agreements not only in investment but in sports, arts and clouds would vanish soon, and that under the to promote and upgrade close relations to and memos of understanding signed by both education as well, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled extraordinary circumstances facing Iraq while fresh horizons. The fact that two-way trade High level visits sides up to 45 deals. noted. For his part, Iraqi Foreign Minister seeking to establish security, democracy and exchange hit $2.5 billion last year and the Also since the launch of the committee, Two-way trade exchange amounted to $2.5 Ibrahim Al-Jaafari stressed the significance of freedom in face of forces of delusion and intel- number of mutual direct flights has gone up high-level visits by Kuwaiti and Iraqi officials billion last year, the Kuwaiti foreign minister Kuwait’s backing to Iraq for boosting its securi- lectual backwardness designed to impede since they were resumed over a couple of occurred. In 2012, His Highness the Amir said, adding that Kuwait will open two con- ty capabilities, and appreciated its recent deci- Iraq’s recent pivotal and significant watershed, years ago reflects both nations’ desire to Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah led sulates in Basra and Irbil in the coming few sion to defer Iraq’s payment of compensation everybody should fully interact and take nec- upgrade ‘distinguished’ relations based on Kuwait’s delegation to the Arab summit which days. “Kuwait and Iraq have also agreed to to Kuwait, thus alleviating the burdens of the essary measures to combat such brutal brotherliness and mutual interest to the level was held in Baghdad cementing Kuwait’s facilitate the entry of Iraqi diplomatic passport financial crisis Iraq is facing. He highly com- attacks,” he added. Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled of strategic partnership in all fields, he added. efforts to reconcile with Iraq. Conversely, a holders and travelers to the State of Kuwait,” mended Kuwait’s help to Iraq in face of terror- also stressed Kuwait’s commitment to UNSC Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled also met during his high-level delegation led by then Foreign he said.