SUBSCRIPTION THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 2014 JAMADA ALAWWAL 12, 1435 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Two dead, Messi on target 24 hurt as as Barcelona NY buildings eliminate collapse13 Man20 City Egypt claims Brotherhood Max 26º Min 16º member arrested in Kuwait High Tide 11:03 & 21:33 Low Tide Saudi ban on Islamist group complicates Gulf ties 04:46 & 16:05 40 PAGES NO: 16103 150 FILS CAIRO: The office of Egypt’s top prosecutor yesterday conspiracy theories said it has been informed that Saudi Arabia and Kuwait arrested two members of the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood group after Cairo put out an international Wasta and warrant on them. The prosecutor’s statement said it was told by Interpol that ex-parliamentarian Akram El-Shaer was arrested in Saudi Arabia and Mohammed El- destruction Qabouti was arrested in Kuwait. The statement said the two were wanted for inciting violence in their home- town, the port city of Port Said, last summer. Saudi and Kuwait authorities could not be reached for comment. An Interpol spokeswoman said the group had no public notices for those names, but in some cas- es countries ask that they not be public. Saudi Arabia’s By Badrya Darwish fierce campaign against the Muslim Brotherhood, already on the run in its Egyptian birthplace, has divid- ed the Gulf Arab bloc, causing discomfort in some member states where the Islamist group is embedded in daily politics. Feuding with Qatar over Islam’s place in [email protected] a turbulent Arab world, Riyadh recalled its ambassador from Doha last week and branded the Brotherhood, a Qatari ally, a terrorist group. ooking at photos of this shabby building, I Saudi Arabia has swung firmly behind the Egyptian thought: Where is that? Is this somewhere in a military, which deposed President Mohamed Morsi last Lremote part of the world where there is no year after mass protests against the Brotherhood leader. culture, no rules, no regulation, no Municipality, no Continued on Page 13 one checking what and how you build? It looks like KUWAIT: Central bank governors of the Gulf Cooperation Council pose for a group photo before a meet- an old jail in a jungle somewhere. Believe me, it’s ing yesterday. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat not. To my disappointment, it’s a building some- Syria to close where in a residential area in Kuwait. Would you see something like this here? Let’s Gulf chief bankers meet not travel too far, let’s stay in our neighborhood embassies in among our brother Khaleeji countries. Would you see this in the UAE? Would you see this in Qatar? Of amid tense political row Kuwait, Saudi course not, I’m answering on your behalf. Because I always consider Kuwait a modern, advanced KUWAIT: Central bank governors of the energy-rich Cooperation Council (GCC), established in 1981, along DAMASCUS: Syria has decided to close its Khaleeji country. So what’s wrong with us? Why Gulf met yesterday in Kuwait to discuss combating ter- with Kuwait and Oman which did not follow the Saudi- embassies in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia because they have we deteriorated in every aspect so much? ror funding and boosting cooperation, despite a tense led move. “The row did not impact the meeting where have refused to accept the accreditations of its What’s this appalling situation? What is the land- diplomatic row between its member states. “We are a all members were present and contributed effectively envoys, diplomats posted in Damascus said yester- lord trying to do, for God’s sake? Is the landlord technical committee which does not interfere in poli- to the meeting which was very normal,” Hashel said. day. “Syria’s embassies in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia unaware that there are rules and regulations since tics,” Kuwait’s Central Bank Governor Mohammad Al- Central bank governors from the six states, including are to close because these countries have been Kuwait became an independent state in 1961 and Hashel told reporters. Saudi Arabia, United Arab that of Qatar, Sheikh Abdullah bin Saud Al-Thani, refusing to accredit the diplomats sent by Damascus there are permissions required for building or Emirates and Bahrain last week recalled their ambassa- attended the meeting. The governors sat together for since the start of the crisis,” one of the sources said. extending or changing buildings and apartments. dors from Qatar for allegedly interfering in their inter- breakfast and the Saudi and Qatari central bank gover- The Arab monarchies of the Gulf, especially Saudi I don’t blame the landlord, in all honesty. I blame nal affairs. Qatar categorically denied the accusation nors walked out of the meeting together for lunch with Arabia and Qatar, have supported the three-year-old the government represented in the Municipality. It and did not recall its envoys.1 no sign of the tension between their two countries. armed revolt in Syria and called for the overthrow of is their responsibility to look at buildings and struc- The four nations are members of the Gulf Continued on Page 13 President Bashar Al-Assad. — AFP tures, streets, flyovers, sewage, etc, etc. So where is our army of municipality officers and inspectors? Or are they only concentrating on salons and restau- rants? Are they only active in chasing bedoons sell- Rouhani visits Oman ing benak (traditional seeds which people in the Gulf snack on). By the way guys, benak taste good. Or some children selling videos and trinkets in front to boost trade, ties of the jamia (co-op). I know this is their job, and I MUSCAT: Iranian President Hassan Gulf, a key gateway for global oil sup- thank them. Rouhani met Oman’s leaders in Muscat plies. But still the buildings and infrastructure and yesterday during a visit aimed at boost- Sultan Qaboos welcomed the Iranian streets in Kuwait are important, if not more impor- ing ties and easing tension with other leader at the Al-Alam palace, according tant. I know we have a Municipality which has all Gulf states, including regional heavy- to ONA. The colorfully decorated com- the measures required for the infrastructure of a weight Saudi Arabia. Starting his two- plex is nestled near the capital Muscat’s city with all its needs - streets, buildings, shops, day visit to Iran’s long-time Gulf ally, mountain-ringed harbor on the edge of pavements, etc, etc. But unfortunately, we have Rouhani went straight into a meeting the Gulf of Oman. Omani Foreign something called wasta (connections) in Kuwait with Sultan Qaboos, who has acted as an Minister Yusuf bin Alawi said Rouhani’s that kills every aspect of inspections or obedience intermediary between Western countries visit “reflects the confidence” that exists to regulations or respect for the rules and laws of and the Islamic republic. The two leaders between Muscat and Tehran, who are the country. discussed “bilateral cooperation” and both “convinced that the top priority is Once we grow out of this wasta system, which is “building good relations”, Oman’s official achieving real stability in the region”. “We killing every aspect of my country, then we will ONA news agency said. seek to strengthen this cooperation to advance. Then we might someday challenge Dubai. Before leaving Tehran for Muscat, serve and bring closer together all (coun- Rouhani had called the visit “of great tries) in the region,” the Oman daily quot- importance to strengthen relations ed Alawi as saying. KUWAIT: Huge clouds of dust are seen bearing down on Kuwait yesterday. — Photo between Iran and Islamic countries, Rouhani has pledged to improve rela- by Fouad Al-Shaikh especially those neighbouring Iran”. “The tions with Iran’s Arab neighbours in the Strait of Hormuz gives countries south of Gulf since his election last year. His for- the...Gulf and the Arabian Sea great eign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, Oppn meeting moved importance,” Iran’s official news agency visited four Gulf states in December and IRNA cited him as saying. Iran’s elite voiced readiness to visit Saudi Arabia, Revolutionary Guards unit is tasked with which however remains cool to the idea. to Saadoun diwaniya protecting the country’s waters in the Relations between Shiite-majority Iran strategic strait, at the entrance to the Continued on Page 13 Minister’s immunity lifted By B Izzak doors for members to join. The group includes a number of leading former KUWAIT: The Popular Action Movement MPs like Musallam Al-Barrak, Khaled Al- Walls are being erected in the foyer of a building to has decided to hold its foundation Tahous, Mohammad Al-Khalifa and oth- make illegal rooms for rent. (More pics on Page 3) meeting at the diwaniya of its leader ers. Ahmad Al-Saadoun two days after the In a related development, the court Kuwait Regency Hotel prevented the of appeals yesterday suspended the Floods kill 7 opposition group from holding the hearing of the case against 70 opposi- meeting. Saadoun told a press confer- tion activists and former MPs accused of in Saudi Arabia ence late Tuesday night that the venue storming the National Assembly more was changed after the hotel cancelled than two years ago. The court said it will RIYADH: Seven people have died in floods that hit the booking under pressure from the resume the trial only after it has decided northern Hail province of mainly desert Saudi Arabia, interior ministry. The ministry had cate- on a lawsuit by some of the defendants local media reported yesterday. The floods were trig- gorically denied it had any hand in the who are demanding changing the gered by heavy downpours that struck the region on cancellation, insisting the decision was judge Nasr Al-Haid over his political Tuesday.