KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION - ELECTION RESULTS AND THE NEW

UNCLAS KUWAIT 002695 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 THE NEW GOVERNMENT Block Quotes -------------- Wednesday, July 05, 2006 -- Professor of Political Science at Kuwait University, Dr. Shamlan Yousef Al-Issa penned in pro-government daily Al-Seyassah under the title "Strong Government" (7/5): "Why doesn't the government consider selecting its ministers from the specialized technocrats who are able to keep abreast of the changes and advances being made worldwide? Qualified Kuwaitis excel in all fields, and are needed to be sought out and convinced to participate in the ministries away from pollution. This pollution comes from the interference of MPs and politicians in the work of the ministers." -- Political Science professor Dr. Shafiq Nazem Al-Ghabra editorialized in moderate Arabic daily Al-Rai Al-Aam under the title "The Democratic Stage and Changes in Kuwait" (7/5): "Kuwait is coming to a political stage that seems intertwined. The discovery of a political balance between the executive and legislative branches and within the executive will require great effort. As past experience has made clear, there cannot be any real development without stability and no development or economic reform without political reform paving the way for them." -- Dr. Sami Nasser Khalifa commented in moderate Arabic daily Al-Rai Al-Aam under the title "No Going Back" (7/5): "The previous government that was labeled the 'crisis government' resigned. There is a new government being formed with the battle of redistricting evident on two tiers. First, citizens must monitor the government's performance and compliance to the demands of the MPs. Second, they must also monitor the MPs to measure the extent to which they comply with the promises they made during their campaigns." ********************************************* * 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