Arab Times

‘Kuwait key to Yemen crisis’

‘Amir’s wisdom, experience needed’

- — Compiled by Zaki Taleb

“THE United Nations envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths emphasized that the Yemeni crisis is in need of the wisdom and experience of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah who is capable of handling such a crisis properly,” columnist Abdulmohse­n Mohammad Al-Husseini wrote for

Al-Anba daily. “He said the crisis of Yemen will not be solved without the interventi­on and experience of the State of Kuwait.

“This represents a laudatory bid that affirms the need for His Highness the Amir’s interventi­on for solving the political problems that some Arab countries are currently facing.

“We know how the world leaders had nominated Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to solve the Gulf crisis. All the leaders who had held meetings with the Qatari officials for discussing the boycott imposed on Qatar by some Gulf countries were in agreement that the Amir of Kuwait is the most qualified leader who is capable of solving the Gulf crisis in view of his experience in dealing with the Gulf issues.

“The State of Kuwait also played a prominent role in solving the Yemeni conflicts that occurred previously between the then two states of Yemen — Arab Yemen Republic and South Yemen Democratic and Socialist Republic.

“Given the above, His Highness the Amir, along with his aides among the Kuwaiti officials topped by the experience­d diplomat Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and his deputy Khalid Al-Jarallah, will be in a position to set up appropriat­e solutions for dealing with the Yemeni crisis. However, this will also depend on the goodwill of the relevant Yemeni parties and their serious endeavors for ensuring the necessary mutual understand­ings among these parties in order to bring an end to this crisis.

“The outset of these endeavors should be represente­d by implementi­ng a ceasefire among the warring Yemeni parties as a prelude to realizing the necessary agreement for solving all of the issues that are related to the Yemeni crisis without any foreign interventi­on.

“The Yemenis should first and foremost depend on themselves and not allow any other party to interfere in their crisis. Also, patriotic spirit and loyalty towards the entire Yemeni homeland must be prevalent throughout the relevant discussion­s, and this entails that all of the parties should shun foreign interventi­on. Not just that, the Yemeni parties should keep in mind that wasting time will not be in their favor, and the continuati­on of the current crisis will not be in favor of the Yemeni people.

“Let us currently think only about the future and the interests of the Yemeni people, and shun the war and the difference­s among the brothers in Yemen because these difference­s could conduce to the destructio­n of the Yemeni state.

“Hence, let us resort to goodwill and ensure our meeting is governed by the real Yemeni spirit that is based on keenness for maintainin­g the interests of the State of Yemen.

“Meanwhile, the entire world had testified to the neutrality of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah as well as his experience and ability in leading the Yemeni-Yemeni negotiatio­ns for the sake of figuring out appropriat­e solutions that is acceptable to all Yemeni parties. This entails the need for the necessary opportunit­y to be available in order to ensure mutual understand­ing for the good of Yemen and its future.

“As a matter of fact, we in Kuwait are keen for the security and stability of our sisterly country Yemen. So, let us be involved in consultati­ons that will be governed by the spirit of public interest and abandon all of the negative aspects that resulted in the aggravatio­n of the Yemeni-Yemeni conflicts.”

Also:

“During a recent interview on the British Broadcasti­ng Corporatio­n (BBC) Arabic news channel at 9 pm Kuwait time with a Yemeni official who belongs to Al-Houthi Ansarullah group, the recent trip made by the United Nations Envoy of British nationalit­y Martin Griffiths to the State of Kuwait, where he held a meeting with His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (May Almighty Allah to protect and take care of him) and had said the role of Kuwait as a mediator among the Yemeni conflictin­g parties is acceptable to all Yemenis parties including Al-Houthi Ansarullah Group, was brought up,” columnist Hassan

Ali Karam wrote for Al-Seyassah daily. “That meeting was held in Kuwait during the spring of 2015 in which representa­tives of all Yemeni conflictin­g parties had attended. It had lasted for exactly 100 days.

“However, had these parties reached an agreement during this meeting, Yemen would have long realized peace, but they unfortunat­ely had failed to reach an agreement.

“Had the relevant parties ensured their discussion­s during that meeting was governed by goodwill, then the crisis would not have lasted for such a long period. Unfortunat­ely these parties lacked the necessary goodwill, even though they were capable of bringing an end to the current war in Yemen and protect the Yemeni people from famine, disease, poverty, ignorance, unemployme­nt, displaceme­nt, doctrinal and sectarian struggles, provincial fanaticism­s and terrorism particular­ly al-Qaeda network and the Islamic State (IS) or DAESH.

“The price of the war currently prevalent in Yemen is payable by the Yemenis even though they have nothing to do it, and will end up harvesting only the loss and bitterness as a result of that war.

“Even though Kuwait had not been playing the role of mediator during the meeting with the conflictin­g Yemeni parties held in Kuwait during the spring of 2015, its location was deemed as most appropriat­e for hosting such a long meeting and dialogue among the brothers in order to bring an end to their conflict.

“Kuwait had spared no effort in achieving the necessary convergenc­e among the viewpoints of the relevant parties, but it seemed that there were some parties that did not want the meeting in Kuwait to succeed because they don’t like to see the State of Kuwait succeeding even though others had failed.

“Even some Yemeni brothers, who I had met post the failure of the meeting that had been held in Kuwait, told me frankly that some of the participan­ts in that meeting had received instructio­ns for ensuring the failure of the dialogue among the pertinent parties at the meeting.”

“DAESH terrorists have not stopped their corruption and crimes like killing innocent persons in front of their families and kidnapping women and children, even if the Syrian government has given them the opportunit­y to transform in their dens in Adlib,” columnist Fakhri Al-Sayed Rajab wrote for Al-Shahid daily.

“Some people are behind these terrorists, providing them with support, informatio­n and logistics. As we heard earlier, they received aids from families fleeing from the black stone and have not learned the lesson. In what law their heinous and ugly deeds are written?

“No dictionary or encycloped­ia in the world could describe their ugly characters or their barbaric ways like that of the Tatars or even worse than the latter.

“The most pressing question is: Did we hear condemnati­on of what happened in Arabic channels except a few? Unfortunat­ely, we did not hear it. They lost their sense and humanity. Once any Zionist is injured, all channels hurry to pray for his speedy recovery.”

“Two days ago, we commemorat­ed the ominous and fateful anniversar­y of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait — the day which will be engraved in the mind of each Kuwaiti who experience­d such difficult moments,” columnist Azza Al-Ghamdi wrote for AlAnba daily. “However, such events and memories cast a shadow on the Political Science course which should be updated from time to time. The curriculum must be ‘semi-permanent’ in various universiti­es around the world since the aim is for students to acquire knowledge about policies, internatio­nal relations, and how to draft solutions and negotiatio­ns on issues in the internatio­nal arena.

“For example, the Iraqi invasion anniversar­y could have been one of the most outstandin­g internatio­nal issues for decades. Neverthele­ss, such a crime has been excluded from the curriculum of those studying Political Science around the world, although it was one of most horrible crimes.”

“With every event that takes place in the country, it’s now a case of corruption in one form or another. The monsoon rains experience­d over the last few years during winter have turned from grace to curse, because of corruption that surfaces every moment without accountabi­lity or control,” Zayed Al-Zaid wrote for Annahar daily.

“The rain, with each passing year, exposes the poor quality of some projects. This happened to the Mangaf tunnel about two years ago, in addition to flying stones the government swore to deal with and promised to stop not too long ago, but the situation remains the same until now. Today, a new event occurred in the form of sand dunes becoming like a horror movie for motorists plying the roads and highways with the occasional renewal of dust under the long duration of summer. The series of accidents happening for years are still fresh in the mind.

“The reason for discussing this is the absence of government plan to deal with the consequenc­es of such natural phenomena. Today, the phenomenon of dust is causing mountains and piles of sand that cover streets and main roads to obstruct traffic, and sometimes, lead to traffic accidents that claim innocent lives.”

“Despite serious and painful issues plaguing the country from scandals, crimes and the like, the ‘tickling deputies’ are still practicing their electoral games by trying to play on the feelings of Kuwaitis. A statement issued few days ago indicated a parliament­ary committee will meet soon to discuss a final decision of getting rid of expatriate­s from public sector and replacing them with Kuwaitis,” Abdul-Mohsin Jumah wrote for Al-Jarida daily.

“Of course, this kind of statement is considered an excellent class of ‘tickling dope’ and playing on the negative feelings of some Kuwaitis toward expatriate­s. They played a lot on this chord and presented many ridiculous ‘films’. For example, they filled the world with statements concerning tax on remittance­s abroad, which is constituti­onal and obtainable in other countries. They ‘swallowed their tongues’ when it was completed and put on the agenda of the National Assembly.

“Some of our deputies want to get rid of foreigners. They vote in favor of getting Kuwaitis to retire early in their fifties, which will lead to the loss of 20 percent of the qualified national workforce. What is the magic equation for our distinguis­hed MPs? They want to dispense with the expatriate­s but there is no single Kuwaiti typist in the judiciary since Kuwaitis are avoiding this type of job, while the Ministry of Health requires 5,000 jobs to operate Jaber Hospital.

“The employees required include doctors, nurses, radiologis­ts, laboratory technician­s, medical registrars, etc. None of them is in the local market, while our schools suffer from a shortage of 2,000 English language teachers who are not also Kuwaiti.”

“Arab Peninsula countries developed their capitals, cities and islands without evacuating the inhabitant­s,” columnist Abdullah Khalaf wrote for Al-Qabas daily. “Most of those who are called by the government as experts and advisors are confused when it comes to developing the country. They pushed their countries backward when the features of civilizati­on came through the advisors and experts of the West.

“Confusion intensifie­d until the country lost its identity. The coast of Kuwait remained desolate under the pretext of keeping ‘diwaniyas’ as they are heritage structures. Whenever boats enter beaches in the capital, those on board the boats finds the area desolate and free of constructi­on.

“Popular cafés, which occupied beaches in the capital like Bait Al-Bahar (a popular café), have been transforme­d into popular markets where the directors and undersecre­taries of the Ministry of Informatio­n rushed to open sweets and bakery shops for their personnel interests.

“The Ministry of Social Affairs does not know the concept of heritage where the old popular manifestat­ions and figures were simple and considered a reflection of poverty.”

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Al-Husseini

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