Kuwait City: Kuwait’s Emir Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah opened the country’s parliament on Tuesday, addressing the nation for the first time since his return from medical treatment in the US earlier this month.
Shaikh Al Sabah, who has ruled Kuwait since 2006, has been trying to mediate in the dispute that has seen Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Bahrain impose a boycott of Qatar since mid-2017.
Kuwait’s on Tuesday warned against turmoil in the Arab region and its repercussions on his country’s stability.
“We are following with worry and pain aspects of escalation and instability going on in a number of sisterly countries,” he said at Kuwaiti parliament. “I have to draw your attention anew to the danger of inflammable conditions around us. We feel the gravity of their repercussions on our security and stability.”
Iraq, a neighbour of Kuwait, is rocked by deadly anti-government protests. Similar demonstrations have gripped Lebanon since October 17.
“In view of these delicate circumstances, we have to learn a lesson from what is going on around us. We have no choice but to consolidate our national unity and society’s solidarity as well as avoid causes of sedition and discord,” the Kuwait Emir said, according to the official news agency KUNA.
Shaikh Al Sabah also renewed his call for resolving the Gulf dispute.
“It is neither acceptable nor tolerable for the dispute between our brothers in the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council to continue ...it has weakened our capabilities and threatened our achievements,” he said.
“This requires that we immediately go beyond our differences and consolidate our unity.”
In June 2017, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt severed diplomatic and transportation links with Qatar over its support for terrorism.
