KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION - ELECTION RESULTS AND FORMATION OF

UNCLAS KUWAIT 002671 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, NEA/PI, INR/NESA, R/MR, I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA FOR ALTERMAN LONDON FOR TSOU PARIS FOR ZEYA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO KDEM PGOV KU MEDIA REACTION SUBJECT: KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION - ELECTION RESULTS AND FORMATION OF THE NEW GOVERNMENT Block Quotes -------------- Monday, July 03, 2006 -- The staff of progressive Arabic daily Al-Qabas' penned on the front page under the title "A Government with New Specifications" (7/3): "What is needed is simply a new composition of the government. There should be new and different specifications and standards from those of the previous government in order for it to handle such a grand problem, one that has threatened our democracy.... We need ministers who do not prove their viability by performing services for the MPs and those with influence. They should prove themselves through their qualifications, their adherence to the public interest, and their ability to defend themselves. This should be through their achievement not their loyalties and their following of certain centers of power." -- Dr. Hamad Mohamed Al-Matar commented in progressive Arabic daily Al-Qabas under the title "A Quick Reading of the 2006 Elections" (7/3): "We hope to see a reformist government that can put its hands into the hands of the MPS and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the legislature. We hope to continue the path of reform with the legislative and executive branches hand-in-hand. Reform has become the primary concern of the entire Kuwaiti society, especially the youth. Do we respect the opinion of society...or do we continue with the mistaken views that will reflect negatively on the relationship between the executive branch and the populist legislative branch?" -- Dr. Badriyah Abdullah Al-Awadhi editorialized in the progressive Arabic daily Al-Qabas under the title "The Elections Proved Women's Political Power" (7/3): "We turn to the honorable MPs before they take the constitutional oath and say they must preserve women's rights. Those rights contributed significantly to them reaching the National Assembly, despite some recently having held positions opposing women's rights. We hope that women's effective political participation in the elections has changed their previous positions." -- Political Science professor Dr. Shafiq Nazem Al-Ghabra stated in moderate Arabic daily Al-Rai Al-Aam under the title "Kuwait after the Elections" (7/3): "Political reform is now the top priority.... It is clear now that without serious political reform Kuwait will not succeed in its transformation to economic reform and development. That which guarantees Kuwait's regional leadership role and makes up for the decrease in oil prices is political reform -- the pathway to the future." -- Lawyer and columnist, Shaykha Fawzia Salim Al-Sabah remarked in moderate Arabic daily Al-Rai Al-Aam under the title "The Electoral Battle Has Ended" (7/3): "Now, we are waiting for the MPs to commence their work and to begin evaluating their performance. We hope they will not differ on the chairing of committees and argue before the government simply to show off and attract attention. We hope they will raise the level of political rhetoric." -- Nabil Al-Fadl noted in moderate Arabic daily Al-Watan under the title "Will the Assembly Remain the Same?" (7/3): "If we were in the government's place, we would go into the redistricting session with a united position. A position stating that the National Assembly will vote on the number of districts it wants and the Council of Ministers will support the choice of the majority. The question is if the government comes in unstable to the electrified Assembly and the districts were reduced to five through agreement, will the 'orange' MPs then do as they promise? Will they dissolve the Assembly and hold elections based on the reduced number of districts?" ********************************************* * For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ ********************************************* * TUELLER