SHAABAN 14, 1439 AH MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2018 Max 35º 32 Pages Min 22º 150 Fils Established 1961 ISSUE NO: 17519 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net Speed limit painted on Thrifty at 50: Pak keeps Jordan woos back nervous tourists Hamilton wins chaotic Baku 5 left emergency lanes 9 ageing Mirage jets flying 30 after years of regional turbulence 13 battle to lead F1 title race Kuwait rejects breach of laws, but ready to work with Manila Duterte says Kuwait work ban for Filipinos ‘permanent’ KUWAIT/MANILA: Kuwait rejects any der of a Filipina maid whose body was found authorities yesterday regarding the row, Around 262,000 Filipinos work in Kuwait, breach against its sovereignty or laws and will stuffed in her employer’s freezer. The resulting Jarallah said Kuwait is keen on maintaining the nearly 60 percent of them domestic workers, act decisively against any relevant attempt, row deepened after Kuwaiti authorities last safety and rights of all expatriates including according to the Philippines’ foreign ministry. Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Al-Jarallah week ordered Manila’s envoy to leave the the Filipino community within the labor laws Last week the Philippines apologized over the affirmed yesterday in reference to a diplomat- country over videos of Philippine embassy of the country, which have been praised by rescue videos but Kuwaiti officials announced ic row with Manila. Jarallah, reacting to staff helping workers in Kuwait flee allegedly international human rights agencies. He they were expelling Manila’s ambassador and remarks by Philippine President Rodrigo abusive employers. appreciated the contributions of Filipinos, who recalling their own envoy from the Southeast Duterte yesterday, said Kuwait was ready to The two nations had been negotiating a are working in different sectors. Asian nation. Kuwait also detained four cooperate with Manila to explore all means to labor deal that Philippine officials said could Jarallah said Kuwait shared Duterte’s desire Filipinos hired by the Philippine embassy and address labor issues, including 800 Filipino result in the lifting of the temporary ban but to maintain deeply-rooted relations, citing issued arrest warrants against three diplomat- citizens who are currently in shelters. the recent escalation in tensions has put an Manila’s support of Kuwait during the 1990- ic personnel, Manila said. Duterte yesterday said the temporary ban agreement in doubt. “The ban stays perma- 91 Iraqi invasion. He said “the historic friend- The Philippines’ ambassador Renato Pedro on Filipinos going to work in Kuwait is now nently. There will be no more recruitment for ship” between the two countries “could help Villa told AFP on Saturday he will leave permanent, intensifying the diplomatic stand- especially domestic helpers. No more,” overcome this exceptional circumstance”. Kuwait on Wednesday, adding that he refused off over the treatment of migrant workers in Duterte told reporters in his hometown in the Jarallah said Kuwait was looking forward to to comply with Kuwaiti demands for the the state. Duterte in February prohibited southern city of Davao. working with the Philippines to honoring names of staffers suspected of being involved workers heading to Kuwait following the mur- Speaking after a meeting held by Kuwaiti mutual interest. Continued on Page 11 Khaled Al-Jarallah obtaining atomic weapons. “Iran’s ambition to weekend of talks with some of Iran’s most fer- Pompeo talks dominate the Middle East remains,” Pompeo vent foes in the region. Pompeo accused Iran of said while standing next to Netanyahu after destabilizing the Middle East, including through their two-hour meeting at defense headquar- its support for Syria’s President Bashar Al- tough on Iran, ters in Tel Aviv. He reiterated that US President Assad and for Shiite rebels in Yemen. Donald Trump will withdraw from the nuclear “(Iran) supports proxy militias and terrorist urges Gulf unity deal with Iran “if we can’t fix it”. groups. It is an arms dealer to the Houthi rebels Netanyahu said “Iran is trying to gobble up in Yemen and Iran conducts cyber-hacking cam- TEL AVIV: US Secretary of State Mike one country after the other”. “Iran must be paigns. And it supports the murderous Assad Pompeo lashed out at Iran during a rapid tour stopped,” the premier said. “Its quest for regime,” he said at a joint press conference with of Middle East allies yesterday ahead of a cru- nuclear bombs must be stopped. Its aggression Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir. “Unlike cial White House decision on whether to quit must be stopped.” Both Netanyahu and Saudi the prior administration we will not neglect the the nuclear deal with Tehran. After setting off leaders appeared delighted that Pompeo, like vast scope of Iran’s terrorism. Gulf unity is nec- on his first diplomatic trip only hours after US President Donald Trump, included their essary and we need to achieve it.” being sworn in, Pompeo met with Saudi and countries on his first foreign trip since taking Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said the Israeli leaders yesterday, two countries with office. The former CIA chief and congressman nuclear deal was “not negotiable”. “The especially close strategic bonds with the showed similar affection, telling Netanyahu that nuclear deal or any other subject under its United States. he was an “incredibly important partner, occu- pretext is not negotiable in any way,” he told Both also have a common enemy in Iran, and py a special place in my heart too”. his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in a Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has Pompeo met earlier yesterday with Saudi phone call, quoted by the presidency website. repeatedly called for the nuclear deal to either King Salman in Riyadh, after dinner on “Iran will not accept any restrictions beyond RIYADH: Saudi King Salman (right) shakes hands with US Secretary of State Mike be altered or scrapped, though most world Saturday with Crown Prince Mohammed bin its commitments.” Pompeo as he receives him in the capital yesterday. — AFP powers see it as key to preventing Tehran from Salman. He later flew to Jordan, wrapping up a Continued on Page 11 King launches Qatar to scrap exit construction of system for workers Saudi mega-park RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has launched construction of an “entertainment city” near Riyadh, part of a series of multi-billion dollar projects aimed at helping the oil-dependent kingdom diversify its econo- my. The project is part of a sweeping reform and invest- ment program dubbed “Vision 2030”, the brainchild of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who also attend- ed the launch ceremony at the site on Saturday evening. Authorities have touted the 334-sq km project in Qiddiya, southwest of the capital, as the kingdom’s answer to Disneyland. Its first phase, which includes high-end theme parks, motor sport facilities and a safari DOHA: Qatari minister Issa Al-Nuaimi cuts a rib- area, is expected to be completed in 2022, officials say. bon with ILO’s Moussa Oumarou to inaugurate They hope the park will draw in foreign investment and the ILO Qatar project office yesterday. — AFP attract 17 million visitors by 2030. The kingdom this month hosted its first public film screening in over 35 RIYADH: Saudi King Salman (center) and his son Crown Prince Mohammed (right) stand behind the logo of DOHA: Qatar could agree a deal within a fortnight Continued on Page 11 Qiddiya, an “entertainment city”, during a groundbreaking ceremony on Saturday. — AFP to abolish its controversial exit visa system which requires workers to obtain their employers’ permis- sion to leave the country, labor experts said yester- posting videos of the uncensored day. The possibility of a landmark deal came as the Saudis embrace moment on social media. In a video International Labor Organization (ILO) opened an posted on Instagram, a jumbo-trons in office in Doha, part of an agreement under which Jeddah lit up with the WWE’s latest pro- the United Nations agency will oversee wholesale Americana at mo video, which was also shown on big labor reform by the 2022 World Cup host. “We are screens at the event itself, in which looking now about the final details of the exit visa, Royal Rumble female wrestlers did not actually take we expect a deal within the next two weeks,” said part. “We’re not afraid of dreamin’ big, Sharan Burrow, general secretary of the DUBAI: Saudi Arabia embraced ‘trashy’ we’re not afraid to bring the fight. International Trade Union Confederation and a Americana over the weekend, hosting a Wanted the best of both worlds, and it once-vocal critic of Qatar’s labor laws. WWE Royal Rumble event for which a starts here tonight,” belted out female Other sources with knowledge of negotiations on video clip of scantily clad female wrestling stars - washboard abs and the issue confirmed a deal was expected to be wrestlers drew euphoric cheers from cleavage on display, alongside their tat- announced soon. The exit visa system has long been men and women alike. The promotional tooed male counterparts. savaged by critics of Qatar’s labor practices as a video elicited a quick mea culpa from the A mixed-gender audience is still a prime example of the Gulf state’s exploitation of its governmental organizers in the Muslim novelty in the land of Islam’s holiest vast migrant workforce, which numbers some two kingdom with conservative mores. “We sites. But World Wrestling million. Qatar has come under intense international apologize to the viewers and attendees Entertainment (WWE) enjoys a cult-like pressure and scrutiny since it won the right to host who watched the WWE event held in following across the Middle East.