Ministers briefed on Lavrov's visit; mourn plane crash victims

KUWAIT: The Kuwaiti cabinet stressed yesterday that it is the right of MPs to lodge an interpellation motion against ministers, but it should be practiced in the context of constitutional legitimacy. The cabinet said in a statement following its customary weekly meeting that the practice of this right should also serve public interest and relevant requirements. This support comes as Minister of Commerce and Industry Khaled Al-Roudhan is facing a parliament query tabled by MPs Al-Humaidi Al-Subaie and Mubarak Al-Hajraf. The cabinet thoroughly discussed the five aspects of the query motion and vowed that it would stand side by side with the minister in his replies at parliament.

At the onset of the weekly meeting, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah briefed the ministers on the outcomes of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's recent visit to Kuwait as part of a regional tour. Then, Minister of Justice and Minister of State for National Assembly Affairs Fahad Al-Afasi kept the cabinet posted on his participation in the 36th session of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers held in Tunis, during which His Highness the Amir was awarded the Order of Prince Naif for Arab Security in recognition of his efforts in bolstering Arab fraternity and integration. In this context, the cabinet voiced much appreciation to this good gesture that reflected the recognition of His Highness the Amir's distinguished status and long experience.

Also locally, the cabinet spoke highly of the efforts of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Capital Market Authority and Kuwait Municipality in the improvement of Kuwait's Doing Business Index of the World Bank. Internationally, the Kuwaiti cabinet voiced heartfelt sorrow and sadness over the crash of an Ethiopian plane during its flight from Addis Ababa to Nairobi on Sunday, killing all passengers and crewmen onboard. The ministers expressed much sympathy and condolence to the friendly Ethiopian people over the victims of the tragedy. - KUNA