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| Arabia |
| Kuwait ruler accepts cabinet resignation in new crisis |
| 2009-03-17 |
| Kuwait's ruler accepted the cabinet's resignation on Monday after deputies moved to question the prime minister, state media said, deepening a political crisis which threatens an economic stimulus plan. Frequent cabinet changes usually do not affect the oil policies of OPEC-member Kuwait, the world's seventh-largest oil exporter, which are set by a high state energy council. But the stalemate could further delay approval of a 1.5 billion dinar ($5.11 billion) rescue plan, including bank guarantees to soften the impact of the global financial crisis and plans to lower the Gulf Arab state's dependence on oil. State media did not say whether the ruler, who has the last say, would reappoint Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah, name a successor or dissolve parliament as he did in March 2008 to end a similar standoff. State television said the cabinet would continue work until a new lineup -- Kuwait's fifth in two years -- takes over. The cabinet had resigned in November after a similar request by MPs but the ruler reappointed his nephew as prime minister. Earlier this month, several deputies submitted a request to question Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser, a member of the ruling family, pushing to crisis point a long-running dispute between parliament and the government. |
| Posted by:Fred |