KUWAIT GROK Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]
Kuwait to Meet on Israeli Aid Boat Raid [May 31]
“Kuwait’s cabinet is to hold an emergency meeting on Monday after a deadly Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla carrying 16 Kuwaitis including an MP, the official KUNA news agency reported. Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad al-Ahmad al-Sabah called the meeting to discuss the latest developments related to the aid convoy, KUNA cited communications minister and government spokesman Mohammad al-Baseeri as saying. Islamist MP Waleed al-Tabtabai was among 16 Kuwaiti nationals on board one of the six ships carrying aid destined for Palestinians in Gaza Strip, which has been under Israeli siege for four years. Parliament speaker Jassem al-Khorafi condemned what he called the “heinous Israeli crime against the freedom convoy which was on a peaceful and humanitarian mission..” [Complete Report]
Kuwait Oil Official: Crude Could Fall to $60 [May 31]
“One of Kuwait’s oil officials believes the price of a barrel of crude oil could fall to $60, reports Maktoob.com. The website quotes the official speaking to Kuwait daily al-Seyassah. “The drop in prices could continue and reach $60 a barrel and it is an issue correlated to the global economy, ” Nawal al-Fuzaia, Kuwait’s national representative to OPEC, told al-Seyassah. He went on to say that a range of $70 to $80 was fair for both consumers and producers. Maktoob says that the benchmark US crude futures fell to $73.97 a barrel on Friday, equating to the worst monthly loss since December 2008..” [Complete Report]
First Iraqi Envoy to Kuwait in 20 Years [May 31]
” Iraq’s first ambassador to Kuwait since the invasion 20 years ago has arrived amid increasing tension between the two countries over the payment of war reparations. Mohammed Hussein Bahr al Ulum avoided questions from a swarm of journalists when he flew into Kuwait Airport from Dubai on Sunday. Officials at the Iraqi Embassy said yesterday that the ambassador would arrange a press conference within the next two weeks to address concerns, including what many believe to be an Iraqi attempt to avoid paying money owed to Kuwait by dissolving Iraqi Airways last week. The Iraqi Embassy in Kuwait opened in temporary quarters in 2005 after the permanent building was wrecked by locals when coalition forces brushed aside Saddam Hussein’s army in 1991..” [Complete Report]
Yemen, Kuwait Review Media Cooperation [May 31]
“Chairman of the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate (YJS) Yasin al-Masoudi met on Monday with the Kuwaiti ambassador to Yemen Salem Ghasab al-Zamnan. During the meeting, the talks focused on media cooperation between media personnel in the two countries as well as means of how to reinforce this kind of cooperation. Al-Masoudi affirmed the depth of the Yemeni and Kuwait ties and the role played by journalists in the two countries to boost and improve these ties, noting the active role of the Kuwaiti ambassador in preparing cooperation and communication opportunities between Yemen and Kuwait media institutions. For his part, the ambassador pointed out that the Yemeni and Kuwaiti relations witness a big growth and are always improving to achieve progress in the process of relations development..” [Complete Report]
Kuwait’s May Output for Neutral Zone Reaches 260,000bpd [May 31]
“Kuwait’s oil production from the shared Neutral Zone it shares with Saudi Arabia hit 260,000 barrels per day (bpd) in May, a senior official said on Monday. While speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of a conference in Manama, Bader al Khashti, managing director, Kuwait Gulf Oil Company, said: “We produced around 260,000 bpd this month, we have four rigs in operation.” Kuwait said in April that the two countries have boosted output capacity from the shared zone to 610,000 barrels per day from around 550,000 bpd. But it said they have drawn back from long term plans plans to further boost capacity to 700,000 to 900,000 barrels per day (bpd) by 2030 as the fields in the zone are declining. Kuwait and Saudi Arabia plan to increase the percentage of oil recovered from the fields with oil major Chevron to maintain onshore output..” [Complete Report]
Kuwait, Japan Begin Preparatory Talks on Joint Committee [May 31]
“Kuwait and Japan on Monday began working-level preparatory talks before the first meeting of the Japan-Kuwait Joint Committee due later this week, with the both sides planning to raise their concerns to share and to discuss content of a planned joint statement. The Kuwaiti participants were to present such issues as the nation’s five-year plan, introduction of nuclear power generation project, needs on renewable energy and energy conservation, as well as regional projects in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states. The Japanese side was expected to note the importance of early conclusions of a bilateral investment treaty and GCC-Japan free trade agreement (FTA) and to underline promotion of exchanges in line with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Kuwaiti-Japanese diplomatic ties in 2011..” [Complete Report]
