Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05KUWAIT3363
2005-07-30 13:44:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Kuwait
Cable title:
SPECIAL PARLIAMENTARY SESSION: NO QUORUM, BUT
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS KUWAIT 003363
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM KU NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
SUBJECT: SPECIAL PARLIAMENTARY SESSION: NO QUORUM, BUT
PLENTY OF POLITICAL POSTURING
UNCLAS KUWAIT 003363
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM KU NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
SUBJECT: SPECIAL PARLIAMENTARY SESSION: NO QUORUM, BUT
PLENTY OF POLITICAL POSTURING
1. (U) An extraordinary session of Parliament held July 30
at the written request of 36 Members of Parliament (MPs)
failed to reach the required quorum of 33 MPs/Ministers
present. An unusual request while Parliament is not in
session and many MPs are abroad on vacation, the
extraordinary session was called to discuss amendments to a
2005 social security law. The English daily Arab Times
reported July 29 that more than 20 of the 36 MPs requesting
the session were currently out of the country and were not
planning on returning for the session. One of the MPs
contacted by Kuwait Times prior to the session said, "My
colleagues urged me not to come back saying the session won't
be held due to lack of quorum." The session was initially
delayed when only 29 MPs and two Ministers attended. After a
thirty-minute delay in an attempt to reach quorum, 31 MPs
were found present, but the two Ministers, Public Works
Minster Badr Al-Humaidi and Minister of State for Cabinet
Affairs and for National Assembly Affairs Mohammed Sharar,
were absent. Acting National Assembly Speaker, Adel
Al-Sarawi, finally adjourned the session due to lack of
quorum.
2. (SBU) Comment: MPs most likely called the July 30
extraordinary session in an attempt to embarrass the GOK for
failure to move on social policies, rather than to address
the non-urgent issue of Kuwaiti pension funds. The
Government and the MPs will fault each other for the lack of
quorum claiming the other failed to turn up. This session
highlighted, in an unusually unseasonal meeting of
Parliament, the continued political jockeying between the
government and the National Assembly. End comment.
*********************************************
Visit Embassy Kuwait's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/
You can also access this site through the
State Department's Classified SIPRNET website
*********************************************
TUELLER
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM KU NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
SUBJECT: SPECIAL PARLIAMENTARY SESSION: NO QUORUM, BUT
PLENTY OF POLITICAL POSTURING
1. (U) An extraordinary session of Parliament held July 30
at the written request of 36 Members of Parliament (MPs)
failed to reach the required quorum of 33 MPs/Ministers
present. An unusual request while Parliament is not in
session and many MPs are abroad on vacation, the
extraordinary session was called to discuss amendments to a
2005 social security law. The English daily Arab Times
reported July 29 that more than 20 of the 36 MPs requesting
the session were currently out of the country and were not
planning on returning for the session. One of the MPs
contacted by Kuwait Times prior to the session said, "My
colleagues urged me not to come back saying the session won't
be held due to lack of quorum." The session was initially
delayed when only 29 MPs and two Ministers attended. After a
thirty-minute delay in an attempt to reach quorum, 31 MPs
were found present, but the two Ministers, Public Works
Minster Badr Al-Humaidi and Minister of State for Cabinet
Affairs and for National Assembly Affairs Mohammed Sharar,
were absent. Acting National Assembly Speaker, Adel
Al-Sarawi, finally adjourned the session due to lack of
quorum.
2. (SBU) Comment: MPs most likely called the July 30
extraordinary session in an attempt to embarrass the GOK for
failure to move on social policies, rather than to address
the non-urgent issue of Kuwaiti pension funds. The
Government and the MPs will fault each other for the lack of
quorum claiming the other failed to turn up. This session
highlighted, in an unusually unseasonal meeting of
Parliament, the continued political jockeying between the
government and the National Assembly. End comment.
*********************************************
Visit Embassy Kuwait's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/
You can also access this site through the
State Department's Classified SIPRNET website
*********************************************
TUELLER