Political crisis in Kuwait escalates

A meeting for the Kuwaiti Nation's Council was canceled on Wednesday in the most recent series of crises, which politicians say may lead to dissolving the council.

The crisis escalated after Nation's Council member Hussein al-Qallaf asked to question Minister of the Interior Sheikh Muhammad al-Khaled al-Sabah, a member of the ruling family, over several issues, including drug-trafficking and other issues pertaining to human rights.

Disputes also cover frequent and open doubts in the arms deals and corruption claims. The Kuwaiti crown prince, and Prime Minister Sheikh Saad al-Abdullah al-Sabah informed the nation's council through the council's deputy speaker Talal al-Ayar that the whole matter is now "at the hands of Kuwait's ruler." It was reported by MENA that Prime Minister al-Sabah had taken a complaint of the lack of cooperation the National Council is providing as a result of their increased scrutiny of many national issues to the Ruler of Kuwait.

In this context, Kuwaiti Minister of Information Youssef al-Sammit asked his Lebanese counterpart Basem al-Sabaa to postpone his scheduled Friday visit to Kuwait until a later date. The Kuwaiti minister attributed the postponement to developments on the Kuwaiti local level.