First session for the Kuwaiti parliament after Saddam

Kuwait's prime minister Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah said that the country is in need of more reforms in order to restore back its earlier position in being a regional center and to withstand the challenges of globalization.

Sabah al-Ahmad notified the Umma council ( parliament) which convened once again following Summer vacation in the first meeting of its kind in which the prime minister is no longer the crown prince with certain tough and difficult issues on its agenda like giving woman the right to vote and giving nationality to the "al-Badoun population," who are Arabs living in Kuwait and do not have the Kuwaiti nationality.

He said that the country is in need of more reforms in various developmental sectors. And that each and every reform has its own price and concession that should be given to achieve it.

In a speech he delivered on behalf of the Amir, he added that Kuwait's restoring back its due role is demandied for her position in the Gulf, Arab, regional and international arenas and will not be an easy task in the post Saddam era whose features are not clear yet.

He said "the phase requires national unity.. Let's have cooperation as our motto in this difficult phase." Sabah al-Ahmad called for further cooperation between the executive and legislative authorities, honoring democratic practice, stressing not to violate freedom and democracy.

Sabah al-Ahmad also indicated that the parliament should discuss a draft bill approved by the Cabinet in this month ( October) permiting woman to nominate as candidates in elections and to be able to vote.