Manama: Kuwait's parliament is set to reconvene today following the summer recess amid concerns about renewed clashes between the government and lawmakers.
"His Highness the Emir Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah will inaugurate on Tuesday October 26, the third ordinary session of the 13th legislative term of the National Assembly," Kuwait News Agency (Kuna) reported yesterday.
National Assembly Speaker Jasem Al Khorafi told journalists that he was optimistic about the relationship between the country's legislative and executive authorities.
"I am always optimistic and I have no other way of looking at things," he said at a banquet he hosted in honour of MPs and cabinet members in the presence of Shaikh Nasser Al Mohammad Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, the prime minister.
Shaikh Mohammad said that the government was "ready to hold discussions with MPs on all outstanding local issues and matters of concern".
"The real focus at this point is working to accomplish achievements in the country's development process," he was quoted as saying by Kuwait Times.
However, recent developments on the local political scene indicated that the new parliamentary term was not likely to be smooth, the paper said.
This was in spite of the prime minister's assurances about the government's commitment to cooperation and Al Khorafi's strong expressions of optimism.
Conflict
One major problem is the conflict over the parliamentary committees, both the permanent ones which the cabinet is accused of attempting to dominate and the temporary ones which MPs have vowed to defend from alleged government attempts to disband them.
MP Hassan Jawaher has issued a belligerent statement criticising Kuwait's current parliament, charging it was "composed of unskilled amateurs," and calling on the cabinet to show greater co-operation, especially in regard to attending special sessions.
