From: mtaghavi@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Amir Taghavi)
Subject: Kuwaiti Government resigns following opposition election victory
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 20:16:55 GMT


	CAIRO, Egypt (UPI) -- The Kuwait government of Crown Prince and Prime
Minister Sheikh Saad Al Sabah resigned Wednesday, one day after
opposition candidates scored a sweeping victory in the country's first
post-liberation parliamentary elections, Kuwait and Cairo radio
reported.
	Al Sabah's government submitted its resignation to the Emir, Sheikh
Jaber Al Ahmed Al Sabah, who then asked it to serve as a caretaker
government pending the formation of a new cabinet in about two weeks.
	The new government was expected to be formed and headed by Al Sabah,
but given the strong showing by opposition candidates, observers expect
to see new faces in the cabinet.
	In announcing his government's resignation to the Emir, Al Sabah said
his administration, which was formed in April 1991, shortly after
Kuwait's liberation from Iraqi occupation, had to work under difficult
conditions for 18 months.
	He cited more than 700 blazing oil wells left behind by retreating
Iraqi forces. The country had no electricity and almost all other vital
public utilities were destroyed or put out of service.
	The prime minister said his government takes credit for restoring
public services ``in record time.'' Oil well fires were extinguished and
oil, the country's economic lifeblood, was pumped again much earlier
than all experts had expected, he said.
	He also boasted that during the 18-month administration of his
government, Kuwait has signed defense treaties with three friendly
countries -- the United States, Britain and France -- and the United
Nations Security Council passed a resolution on the demarcation of
Kuwait's common borders with Iraq.
	As a result of Monday's elections, 27 new faces will enter the 50-
member legislature, the National Assembly, while eight members of the
parliament that was dissolved by the Emir in 1986 regained their seats.
	The emir had accused deputies of causing political, social and ethnic
tension while the Iraq-Iran war was raging at their doorstep.
	Eighteen of the winners from 25 two-member constituencies had ties
with Islamic groups, both Sunni and Shiite, and about a dozen were
opposition liberals.
	In two weeks, the assembly will hold its first plenary session to
elect its speaker for a four-year term, which is also the term of the
parliament.
	The assembly will have full legislative powers, unlike the partially-
elected and interim National Council, which preceded it and had only a
consultative role.
	The Kuwaiti constitution allocates parliamentary seats for the
cabinet ministers and entitles them to take part in electing the
speaker, provided that their number does not exceed one-third of all
legislators.
	With this number of opposition deputies committed to reforms and
changes, observers expect to see a fiery parliament, especially in light
of the country's dreary experience with the Iraqi invasion and seven-
month occupation, which some opposition candidates in election campaigns
blamed on the ruling Al Sabah family.
	Among the hot issues expected to take center stage at the parliament
are demands for greater democracy, the country's security affairs and
relations with its neighbors, voting rights for women and other
sensitive matters.


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