KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION: THE NEW GOVERNMENT EMERGES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 000484

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STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, INR/NESA, R/MR, I/GNEA, B/BXN,
B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA FOR ALTERMAN
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PARIS FOR ZEYA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KPAO PREL KDEM KMDR KU

SUBJECT: KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION: THE NEW GOVERNMENT EMERGES

Selected Headlines
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1. Saturday, 11 February 2006

-- Al-Qabas front page "Amir presides over first meeting of the new
government today"; "New government adopts the program of its
predecessor"; "Parliamentary blocs begin meetings to crystallize
their positions"

-- Al-Qabas p. 6 "New ministers in their offices today"

-- Al-Qabas p. 8 "What do the citizens want from the new
government?"; "In a public opinion poll conducted by Al-Qabas on
government priorities: Housing issue topped the list"; "Dr. Haila
Al-Mekaimi: Continuing reform and combating corruption"

-- Al-Qabas p. 79 "Dr. Ahmad Al-Rubei: Free of charge advice to new
ministers"

-- Al-Rai Al-Aam front page "Islamists: Excluding liberals from the
new government is not astonishing"; "Ministers will be sworn in
before the Amir today. Date for parliamentary sessions will be set
by Al-Khorafi and Sharar"; "Al-Khanna lashes out at liberals"

-- Al-Watan front page "Liberals prefer to postpone statements on
new cabinet line-up"; "Swearing in by Kuwait Government ends
'shares' claims"; "New cabinet line-up widely accepted by
parliamentarians"; "Mohammed Al-Bossairi: Government represents all
Kuwaitis"; "Salem Al-Hammad: Government for all Kuwait"; " Jassem
Al-Kandari: Government closest to political representation"; "Bou
Ramya: We rebuff 'shares' system"; "Hot issues awaiting Zalzala";
"Crown Prince will call on Mubarak Al-Abdullah today"

-- Al-Watan p. 31 "Chairmen of charity societies and committees
congratulates Crown Prince and Prime Minister"

-- Al-Watan p. 86 "Dr. Walid Al-Tabtabaei: Congratulations and
warning to the Minister"

-- Al-Anbaa front page "Dr. Al-Zalzala and Al-Muhailbi talk about
their plans for their ministries"

-- Al-Anbaa p. 8 "Khalifa Al-Khorafi sorry for absence of Baqer,
Al-Hamad and Al-Hajji"

-- Al-Anbaa p. 11 "Al-Mohri: Government formation included all
spectrums of the Kuwaiti people"

-- Al-Seyassah p. 14 "Kuwaiti citizens respect Nawaf Al-Ahmad and
Nasser Al-Mohammed"

Block Quotes
--------------


2. Thursday, 2 February 2006

-- Dr. Ayed Al-Manaa wrote for the moderate daily Al-Watan under the
title "Good choice": "His Highness's choices for Crown Prince and
Prime Minister are good choices. Both men are publicly known and
have worked since their youth in public service. They have ascended
through the ranks during which period they experienced massive
political developments. They have taken part in making important
decisions and worked through major events in Kuwait's contemporary
history. We are not exaggerating when we say that the two are
experts in domestic, regional, and international developments. They
have participated and worked with these events and developments
since the 1960's. They have both seen Kuwait turn from poor desert
Emirate into an oil-rich constitutional state. We must not ignore
the negative side effects of the transformation from the simple life
to the luxurious one; for example, the dependence on government
employment as the major source and possibly the only of income. We
have no doubt that by choosing the two Shaykhs His Highness the Amir
not only exercised his constitutional right, but also took into
consideration each man's experience, competence, and good relations
with the people and the national assembly of Kuwait.

-- Al-Anbaa staff wrote on front page under the title "Difficult
challenges": "Despite the fact that the 22nd government of Kuwait
will only be in power for one and a half year, the first government
since Shaykh Sabah Al-Ahmed took power must lay the legal foundation
for the country's economic reform. This government must provide
legal coverage for developing the country's oil-production

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capabilities including the vital Northern Fields project. We hope
that the government will not waste its time discussing laws that
have proven conflicting such as the electoral districts law. As for
the press law, the government must recall it and present a draft law
that suits Kuwait and its reputation, one that plugs all the
loop-holes. The current government will also be in charge of
organizing and overseeing the up-coming parliamentary elections,
which will be the first one that will include women."

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