AMIR RECONVENES KUWAITI NATIONAL ASSEMBLY: NO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 001032

SIPDIS

NEA/ARP, NEA/RA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/07/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR KU
SUBJECT: AMIR RECONVENES KUWAITI NATIONAL ASSEMBLY: NO
FIREWORKS...YET

REF: KUWAIT 1014

Classified By: Political Counselor Pete O'Donohue for reasons 1.4 b and
d

Amir Repeats Calls for National Unity, PM shows greater vigor
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1. (C) Ending the summer hiatus, Kuwaiti Amir Shaykh Sabah
Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah reconvened the Kuwaiti National
Assembly on October 27, with Ambassador and other COMs and
Kuwaiti dignitaries present. In an unremarkable address to
Parliament, the Amir pressed for national unity and
cooperation between the legislative and executive branches
and for support for the national development plan. Following
the Amir's address, both PM Shaykh Nasser Al-Mohammed
Al-Ahmed Al Sabah and Parliamentary Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi
more vigorously laid out the issues lying ahead for the
Parliament -- consumer debt forgiveness, H1N1, the economic
downturn, and upgrading regional relations -- with the PM in
particular delivering a surprisingly articulate and robust
encapsulation of the government's program and agenda.
(Speech transcripts available at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Kuwa it).

The Dog(s) That Didn't Bark
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2. (C) Despite Islamist deputies publicly denouncing the
fact that two of the newly elected female parliamentarians
refuse to wear the hijab and hence are arguably in violation
of the requirement that parliamentarians obey Shari'a law
(see reftel),no MPs took issue with the fact that neither
Rola Dashti nor Aseel Al-Awadhi (nor, for that matter,
Minister of Education Dr. Moudhi Al-Homoud) covered for the
opening session. Indeed much of the Kuwaiti press October 28
prominently featured front-page pictures of an uncovered
Dashti at the Parliamentary podium.

Committee Reassignments Relatively Anti-Climactic
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3. (C) Following the statements by the Amir, Speaker and PM,
the MPs settled down to the routine business of selecting MPs
for committees. While this process was conducted in a
generally calm and orderly fashion, there were glimpses of
some of the underlying issues that are widely expected to
render this session a turbulent one. (Note: Light public
attendance at the session indicated that the day would be
occupied with dull committee procedural reorganization. End
note.) The GOK utilized its 16 ministers' (ex-officio MPs)
votes to edge Islamists from a number of committees, notably
Cultural, Education and Guidance Affairs and Foreign Affairs.
In a conciliatory gesture to Islamists, Communications
Minister (and tribal Islamist) Mohammad Al-Busairi offered to
have ministers abstain from ad hoc committee votes so as not
to appear to be bullying the Islamists. This offer was
rejected by conservatives, who characterized it as
patronizing. Ultimately at the end of the day, most
committee assignments resulted in a relative balance in
factions. Parliament's four new female MPs secured broad
inclusion on several committees, including three seats on the
permanent committee for Health, Social and Labor Affairs, and
four of five seats in the ad hoc Women and Family Affairs
committee. (For a complete rundown of committees, please
visit http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Kuwa it).

Comment: Kitchen Affairs
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4. (C) As in other parliamentary systems, Kuwait's
parliamentary committees, generally referred to as the
National Assembly's "kitchen," review draft bills prior to
referral to the National Assembly for voting. Their
influence derives primarily from their ability to stall bills
and promote self-serving agendas. (Note: As an example, the
hot topic issue of naturalization prompted tribalists and
Islamists to press heavily for inclusion on the Interior and
Defense Committee, which holds the reins on the provision of
nationality to the thousands of "bidoon" (stateless) who
potentially provide political support to conservative
politicians. End note.) The continual gridlock that defines
Parliament's relationship with the government takes place,
not in the "kitchen" but on the National Assembly floor,
where even one MP's targeting of a minister for
interpellation can push the Amir to consider dissolution.
Thus, while the opening session of Parliament was unmarred by
fireworks, the real test is yet to come. End comment.


KUWAIT 00001032 002 OF 002


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For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit:
visit Kuwait's Classified Website at:

http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Kuwa it
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JONES