SUBSCRIPTION WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 2014 RAJAB 8, 1435 AH www.kuwaittimes.net MEW, MPW Both sides ‘Qualitative’ Clippers, launch bury dead as shift in Saudi Wizards win solar panel Ukraine slides economic in conference project 2 towards7 war development21 semis17 IMF calls on Kuwait to Max 41º Min 23º contain wages, subsidies High Tide 06:20 & 16:27 Gulf fiscal surpluses to shrink as oil prices weaken Low Tide 11:12 & 23:57 40 PAGES NO: 16158 150 FILS KUWAIT: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) yester- day called on OPEC member Kuwait to contain a rapid Saudis bust rise in public wages and subsidies to safeguard the economy against oil price shocks. “The fiscal position is strong. However, a sustained drop in oil prices could Qaeda cell deplete fiscal surpluses and adversely affect long-term fiscal sustainability,” said a statement released by an IMF RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has detained 62 suspected Al- mission after a three-day visit to the state. “Measures to Qaeda militants with links to radicals in Syria and contain current expenditures, particularly wages and Yemen who were plotting attacks on government subsidies, and continued heavy dependence on oil rev- and foreign targets in the kingdom, its Interior enues are required to mitigate risks to the economy Ministry said yesterday. The world’s No. 1 oil exporter from downward oil price shocks,” it said. is increasingly concerned that Syria’s civil war is radi- The IMF said general subsidies, particularly on elec- calizing more of its own citizens and has announced tricity and fuel, constitute a massive 7.0 percent of gross tough new measures to counter militancy. The 62 domestic product and as high as a quarter of spending, represent the largest group of people said by author- which was around $70 billion last fiscal year. It said ities to have been detained on suspicion of Islamist Kuwait’s current economic outlook is positive and non- militancy for at least two years in the conservative oil GDP growth is forecast to accelerate from 2.7 percent Islamic kingdom, which has imprisoned thousands in 2013 to 3.9 percent this year, backed by government over the past decade in its battle against Al-Qaeda. investment in infrastructure and large oil projects. Some 35 of the detainees had previously been “However, protracted political uncertainty could affect held by the Saudi authorities on security charges overall business confidence and the investment climate, before being released, Maj Gen Mansour Turki, the and result in lower non-oil growth than projected,” the Interior Ministry’s security spokesman, told a tele- IMF warned. vised news conference. “They swore allegiance to Public spending rose from $24.4 billion to $68.2 bil- their warlord and started in constructing compo- lion from 2005 to 2013, during which government nents of the organisation, means of support and wages rose from $6.7 billion to $17 billion, according to planning for terrorist operations targeting govern- official figures. In the same period, oil income, which ment installations and foreign interests and the makes up around 95 percent of public revenues, rose assassination of security personalities,” he said. from $45.9 billion to $106 billion. Kuwait has boasted a He said the group had links to the Al-Qaeda-affili- KUWAIT: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah hands the Amir’s Cup to the Kuwait SC cap- budget surplus in each of the past 14 fiscal years, help- ated Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), which tain Jarrah Al-Ateeqi as other players and officials including National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al- ing its sovereign wealth fund to increase to over $400 is both a powerful force among rebels in Syria’s civil Ghanem celebrate at the Kuwait Club Stadium in Kaifan yesterday. Kuwait SC defeated Qadsiya SC 4-3 in a billion. Continued on Page 15 penalty shootout after the match ended 1-1. — KUNA (See Page 20) Continued on Page 15 Dashti expects no Sisi insists Brotherhood ‘finished’ more resignations Strongman uncompromising in first TV appeal By B Izzak al” grilling. He also said that the mes- sage sent by HH the Amir through CAIRO: Ex-army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi only freely elected president Mohamed KUWAIT: MP Abdulhameed Dashti Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem that an was uncompromising in his first television Morsi last July. Instead he appealed for said yesterday he expects that there “attempt to destabilize the country will Iran to target US interview since announcing his run for the support of the millions of opponents will be no more resignations from the fail and that there is no intention to Egypt’s presidency, insisting the Islamist of Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood who National Assembly after five lawmak- dissolve the National Assembly” great- ships during war movement of the elected leader he oust- protested in the days running up to his ers quit their seats in protest against ly helped in stabilizing the situation. TEHRAN: Iran will target American aircraft carriers in ed was “finished”. Sisi, who is expected to ouster, insisting that it was they, and not the scrapping of a grilling against the Dashti alleged last week that millions the Arabian Gulf should a war between the two coun- trounce his sole opponent in the May 26- he, who had finished the Brotherhood as prime minister. He said in a statement of dinars were being offered for MPs to tries ever break out, the naval chief of Iran’s powerful 27 election, made no attempt in the inter- a political force. “I did not finish it, you that he believes the “resignations resign. Revolutionary Guard warned yesterday as the coun- view’s first part aired late Monday to reach Egyptians finished it,” Sisi said. door” has closed on the five MPs who But MP Khalil Abul said that “all try completes work on a large-scale mock-up of a US out to critics of his overthrow of Egypt’s Continued on Page 15 quit in the past few days, “based on options are open for him”, adding that carrier. The remarks by Adm Ali Fadavi, who heads the our assessment of the situation” and he will resign only when it serves hardline Guard’s naval forces, were a marked contrast contacts with other lawmakers who national interests and not simply to to moderate President Hassan Rouhani’s recent out- were reported to be planning to quit. target the prime minister or the reach policies toward the West - a reminder of the MPs Riyadh Al-Adasani, Abdulkarim speaker. MP Saadoun Hammad mean- competing viewpoints that exist at the highest levels Al-Kandari and Hussein Quwaiaan sub- while expected that by-elections to within the Islamic Republic. mitted their resignations last week elect replacements for the resigned Iran is building a simple replica of the aircraft carri- after the Assembly overwhelmingly MPs will be held either before the er USS Nimitz in a shipyard in the southern port of rejected a grilling they filed to ques- holy month of Ramadan or during the Bandar Abbas in order to be used in future military tion Prime Minister HH Sheikh Jaber month. He said he expects the exercises, an Iranian newspaper confirmed last Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah. Earlier this week, Assembly to debate the resignations month. Fadavi was quoted Tuesday by the semi-offi- MPs Ali Al-Rashed and Safa Al-Hashem, of the first three MPs during the next cial Fars news agency as saying the immense size of the only female in the 50-member session on May 13 and the two other the US carriers makes them an “easy target”. He said house, also resigned in protest against resignations will be discussed later. contingency plans to target American carriers are a what they called the unconstitutional Under the law, the Assembly priority for the Guard’s naval forces. “Aircraft carriers decision of the Assembly. There were should discuss any resignations 10 are the symbol of America’s military might,” he said. media reports that at least two more days after they are officially submit- “The carriers are responsible for supplying America’s MPs were expected to resign. One of ted. The first three resignations were air power. So, it’s natural that we want to sink the car- them - MP Jamal Al-Omar - denied the submitted on May 1, while the other riers.” reports in a statement on Monday. two on May 4, and thus the latter can- The Revolutionary Guard’s naval forces are sepa- Dashti said the halt in resignations not be discussed in next session. If rate from the main Iranian navy. They are primarily is an indication that MPs have faith the Assembly accepts the resigna- based in and around the Gulf and include a number CAIRO: Egypt’s ex-army chief and leading presidential candidate Abdel Fattah and trust in the measures taken by the tions, by-elections must be held with- of missile boats and fast-attack vessels. Al-Sisi gives his first television interview on May 4, 2014 since announcing his Assembly against the “unconstitution- in 60 days. Continued on Page 15 candidacy. — AFP in the news Kuwait renews crude Firebombs damage shops GIH faces suspension if contracts with Bharat near Bahrain police post misses AGM deadline KUWAIT: Kuwait has renewed crude supply contracts MANAMA: Bahraini police have confronted attackers KUWAIT: Kuwait’s financial regulator has given with India’s Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) who tried to firebomb a police post in a largely Shiite investment firm Gulf Investment House until worth up to $3.7 billion a year, the state’s official news community in the tiny Gulf island nation, authorities Sunday to hold its annual general meeting (AGM) agency KUNA said yesterday.