VZCZCXRO8736
RR RUEHDE
DE RUEHKU #0636 0560716
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 250716Z FEB 06
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3164
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1172
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0947

UNCLAS KUWAIT 000636 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE, SIPDIS 
 
FOR NEA/ARPI, LONDON FOR TSOU, PARIS FOR ZEYA 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KU FREEDOM AGENDA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
SUBJECT: FREEDOM AGENDA: PARLIAMENT REVISES DATE FOR DEBATING 
AMMENDMENT OF ELECTORAL REDISTRICTING 
 
REF: A) KUWAIT 601 
     B) 05 KUWAIT 5186 AND PREVIOUS 
 
Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for internet distribution. 
 
¶1.  (U)  During its February 21 session, Parliament approved a 
motion to advance the date for debate of an Interior and Defense 
Affairs Committee proposal to reduce the number of electoral 
constituencies to April 17 from June 30 as previously agreed 
(reftel).  Initially, the Government opposed the motion, but changed 
its position under pressure from some Ministers, particularly Deputy 
Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Shaykh Dr. Mohammed Al-Sabah, 
and after a decision by Prime Minister Shaykh Nasser Mohammed 
Al-Sabah to re-assess the issue.  At one point, the Ministers of 
Information and Communications left the National Assembly hall to 
avoid voting against the parliamentary motion. 
 
¶2.  (U)  The previous Government had voted to postpone the issue 
until June; however, during the February 21 session, Prime Minister 
Shaykh Nasser asked Minister of State for National Assembly Affairs 
Mohammed Sharar to re-assess the delay and then stated his support 
for a prompt debate of the issue.  With the support of the new 
Government, the motion was approved: 33 of the 46 members of 
Parliament (MPs) present voted for it, 12 MPs voted against it, and 
one abstained.  (Note: There are currently 65 members of Parliament: 
49 elected MPs and 16 Government Ministers, who are ex officio MPs. 
End note.) 
 
¶3.  (U)  MPs supporting the motion applauded the "realistic step" 
taken by the Prime Minister and vowed to support the Government if 
it was serious about reform.  The first step on the path of reform 
starts with overhauling the electoral system, they emphasized. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Comment: The vote could be an early indicator that the 
new Government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shaykh Nasser 
Mohammed, is serious about implementing key reforms, long stalled in 
Parliament (ref A).  The Interior and Defense Affairs Committee, 
which is dominated by MPs believed to oppose amendment of the 
electoral system, must still finalize its proposal to reduce the 
number of electoral constituencies, something it has been dragging 
its feet on for some time.  Even if it does meet the April 17 
deadline (it failed to meet the last two deadlines), there is still 
considerable disagreement in Parliament over the geographic 
distribution of the fewer districts, which would have significant 
political ramifications.  Nonetheless, yesterday's vote was a move 
in the right direction.  End comment. 
 
********************************************* * 
For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s 
 
You can also access the site through the 
State Department's Classified SIPRNET website 
********************************************* * 
 
LEBARON