Elections on July 27 After Dashti Withdraws Request
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SUBSCRIPTION THURSDAY, JUNE 27, 2013 SHAABAN 18, 1434 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Former leader India’s rupee Robot says Sharapova, Rudd ousts falls 1.88%, space mission Federer crash Australia’s first hits new ‘big stride’ out on black female7 PM record21 low for27 androids Wednesday20 Elections on July 27 after Max 47º Dashti withdraws request Min 32º High Tide 03:01 & 13:55 Human rights body slams mistreatment of expats Low Tide 08:31 & 21:20 40 PAGES NO: 15852 150 FILS By B Izzak Kerry reassures Kuwait on Gitmo KUWAIT: The Cabinet yesterday approved a decree set- ting parliamentary elections on July 27, two days after KUWAIT: Kuwait’s request to release its two nationals the earlier day set last week after a request to the con- held at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp is “taken stitutional court to explain parts of its June 16 ruling very seriously” and there will be a full review process in was surprisingly withdrawn. The court was scheduled to conjunction with the justice department to appropri- issue its explanation yesterday, but during the jury ately address the issue, said US Secretary of State John deliberations, member of the dissolved Assembly Kerry yesterday. At a joint press conference with Deputy Abdulhameed Dashti, who filed the request, surprising- Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh ly withdrew the request and the court accepted the Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Kerry reaffirmed withdrawal and decided not issue any explanation. In that US President Barack Obama was committed to the his request, Dashti said that parts of the June 16 ruling closure of the detention camp and added that the presi- which scrapped the National Assembly and confirmed dent would seek measures so that no detainees were the amendment to the electoral law, were unclear and held any longer than required. needed more elaboration. He specifically asked if the “We had a good conversation about it and we are ruling required reinstating the 2009 Assembly which very aware of the concerns here in Kuwait ... President was dissolved on Oct 7. Obama is committed to close Guantanamo,” said Kerry, After setting the election date on July 25 last adding that he was appointed as a special representa- Thursday, the government decided to put the election tive to achieve this goal on a fulltime basis. decree on hold until the court made its explanation as a Commenting on the same issue, Sheikh Sabah Al- precautionary measure in order to make sure that legal Khaled said that the Kuwaiti government had, as always, procedures on the election were in line with the consti- given guarantees to the US administration that the tution and to prevent any possible challenges that may detainees’ release would not result in any negative out- force dissolving the Assembly for the third time in less comes. He expressed to Kerry “the Kuwaiti concerns than a year. The two-day delay was required because of over the health conditions of the detainees,” affirming the election law which requires that the election decree that Kuwait was calling for their release in order to must be issued at least one month prior to the election receive a “fair” trial. “This humanitarian issue should be date. Since the election decree is expected to be issued addressed within the context of the strong ties linking today, the election cannot be held on July 25 because Kuwait and the US,” said Sheikh Sabah. of the one-month period. In their meeting yesterday, the two officials went The election decree is expected to be published in over several key issues pertaining to bilateral relations, the official gazette Kuwait Al-Youm today, which means the Mideast peace process, and the peaceful resolution that registration of candidates will start the following of the crisis in Syria. Sheikh Sabah said that Kerry met day. The candidate registration process will continue for earlier yesterday with HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al- 10 days and withdrawal of nomination papers will con- Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and discussed with him issues tinue until 10 days before the election date. The elec- regarding boosting mutual ties. Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled tion will be held on the basis of one-man-one-vote, indicated that preparations for the upcoming visit by down from a maximum of four in the previous elections. the Amir to the US this fall were also discussed during Meanwhile, the Kuwait Association for Human Rights the meeting. yesterday issued a statement in which it criticized what The foreign minister added that his meeting with it called mistreatment of expatriates in Kuwait, includ- Kerry reviewed Iraqi-Kuwaiti efforts to normalize rela- ing deportation of those who commit grave traffic tions, stressing that both countries tackled several top- offences. The association criticized the reported ics pertaining to the development of bilateral ties. The appointment of a retired senior police officer as the deteriorating situation in Syria was also discussed dur- chief of the newly established Manpower Public ing the meeting, said Sheikh Sabah, who noted that Authority which will be given the power to supervise Kuwait wants a peaceful resolution to end the crisis in the recruitment of expatriates from abroad and super- that country. He also stressed that any kind of aid vise their affairs in the country. The statement said that directed to the Syrian people was through official chan- it is illogical to appoint a police officer who has been nels, making sure that necessities would reach the peo- dealing with criminals as the chairman of the manpow- ple and not fall in the wrong hands. KUWAIT: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah welcomes US Secretary of State John Kerry at Bayan er authority, which may give the impression as if it is Continued on Page 15 Palace yesterday. — KUNA going to deal with criminals. Kuwaitis campaign Qatar emir extends hand to arm Syria rebels to ‘all’, replaces premier KUWAIT: At a traditional evening meet- two years to overthrow President ing known as a “diwaniya”, Kuwaiti men Bashar Al-Assad, a member of the drop banknotes into a box, opening a minority Alawite sect that is a branch of DOHA: Qatar’s new emir yesterday said his campaign to arm up to 12,000 anti- Shiism. Syria’s war has widened a fault- country seeks strong ties with “all govern- government fighters in Syria. A new line in the Middle East, with Shiite Iran Self-immolation ments” in his first speech since taking pow- Mercedes is parked outside to be auc- and Lebanese militia Hezbollah back- er, as he swept aside the powerful prime tioned off for cash. They are Sunni ing Assad and Sunni-ruled Gulf Arab exposes Saudi minister who had served his father before Muslim and mainly Islamist like many nations supporting his opponents. him. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, in Syrian rebels who have been trying for Continued on Page 15 bedoon plight a short televised address to the nation, said Qatar “rejects divisions in Arab soci- RIYADH: When a watermelon seller set himself on eties on sectarian lines”, in reference to fire in Riyadh last month, it may not have set off an Sunni-Shiite tensions convulsing the Morsi warns Egypt Arab Spring, but it did call attention to a rarely dis- region. “We seek to preserve relations with cussed issue - the plight of stateless Arabs living in all governments and countries and we the world’s top oil exporter. Mohammed Al-Huraisi respect all sincere, active and effective could be ‘paralysed’ doused himself in petrol and set himself alight on political directions in the region but we do May 15, echoing the act of desperation by Tunisian not support one side over the other,” said CAIRO: Islamist President Mohamed street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi in Dec 2010 that the 33-year-old emir. Morsi warned yesterday that political was the catalyst for the Arab revolt. Relatives said Sheikh Tamim came to power after his divisions in Egypt “threaten to paralyse” local officials had stopped him from selling his pro- father Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani the country, as at least one person was duce on a street corner in a poor Riyadh neighbour- abdicated in his favour on Tuesday, killed and scores were hurt in clashes hood because he didn’t have a permit. becoming the youngest Gulf Arab ruler. Sheikh Hamad Al-Thani between his supporters and opponents. “He threatened to burn himself six months ago as The new emir made no reference in his In a televised speech to mark his turbu- well. He had pressure from debt and thought he speech to the Syrian conflict, which has lent first year in power, “Egypt faces might lose everything,” the dead man’s father, Ali Al- left more than 100,000 people dead since many challenges. The polarisation has Huraisi, told Reuters. The Huraisi family, originally it erupted in March 2011 and has spilled reached a stage that could threaten our from the Saudi-Yemeni border area, now lives south over into neighbouring states. The outgo- democratic experience and paralyse the CAIRO: An Egyptian protester wears a of Riyadh. Their ramshackle house lies down a road ing emir had strongly backed rebels fight- nation.” Just hours before he spoke, scarf reading ‘Morsi leave’ during a that passes date farms and rubbish-strewn plots, ing the regime of Syrian President Bashar Islamists had been holding a rally in his protest in front of the Ministry of where stray dogs scamper between broken trucks. Al-Assad, and his prime minister Sheikh support in the Nile Delta city of Defense yesterday.