KUWAIT CITY, April 1: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Sunday stressed the need for strict adherence to national norms by consolidating unity among the various segments of the society, especially in the media and social network sites.

The Amir made this statement while presiding over an extraordinary session of the Council of Ministers Sunday in which he briefed the Cabinet on his tours to Japan and Philippines and his participation in the Arab League meeting.

Sheikh Sabah voiced the significance of protecting the country against disunity, division and conflict, which he said did not benefit anybody except the enemies of the country.

The Amir urged the legislative and executive bodies to join hands for the sake of Kuwait and its citizens, who are yearning for achievements, instead of wasting time, efforts and potentials.

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Sunday presided over at Sief Palace an extraordinary cabinet meeting.

The meeting was attended by the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Acting Speaker of the National Assembly Khalid Sultan Bin Essa and Deputy Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah.

After the meeting, Information Minister and Acting Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Mubarak said that the Amir briefed the cabinet with outcomes of his official visit to both Japan and the Philippines during the period from March 19-27.

The cabinet, Sheikh Mohammad said, took note of outcomes of positive talks that took place with His Majesty the Emperor of Japan Akihito, during which both countries noted the 50th anniversary for the establishment of diplomatic relations. the Amir was decorated the Imperial Medal by the Emperor.

The cabinet also took note of the talks between the Amir with the Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and senior state officials, which tackled means of fostering bilateral ties and the latest developments in the region.

Then, the Amir briefed the cabinet with outcomes of his visit to the Philippines, where he met with President Benigno Aquino III and senior officials, during which they discussed ways to develop bilateral cooperation in various fields.

HH the Amir expressed deep appreciation for the hospitality he and his delegation received, which translated the high international status enjoyed by the State of Kuwait, expressing his satisfaction for the keenness of those countries to promote joint action. He also briefed the cabinet about agreements that were signed during these visits in all sectors.

Meanwhile, the Amir informed the cabinet about the outcome of the 23rd Arab Summit, which he attended in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad on March 29.

Sheikh Sabah noted that the Arab leaders have mulled a wide array of key issues of common interest, mainly the situation in Syria and means to bolster pan-Arab action.

For their part, the ministers lauded the speech of HH the Amir in the summit, in which he underscored the need to buttress Arab cooperation in all fields, as well as to meet the legitimate aspirations of Arab people.

The Amir also apprised the cabinet of his talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki on the sideline of the Arab Summit in Baghdad.

Sheikh Sabah unveiled that the talks focused on bilateral relations and the common desire to strengthen friendly bonds and cooperate to achieve shared interests, as well as peace and stability in the region.

In this regard, the Amir praised the Iraqi government hospitality with visiting Kuwaiti and Arab delegations and the impressive organization of the summit.

In the meantime, HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Acting National Assembly Speaker Khalid Sultan Bin Essa and HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah expressed gratitude and admiration of the Amir for efforts exerted with other leaders in the summit to strengthen Arab solidarity.

They also extolled the Amir’s initiative to visit Iraq, for the first time since the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990, and participate in the Arab summit.

In turn, the Amir congratulated the Prime Minister on his high performance and good handling of the grilling motion recently filed against him in the National Assembly.

HH also voiced hopes the government, parliament and other bodies would cooperate to achieve the higher interests of the state.

Concluding the meeting, the ministers expressed appreciation and respect of the Amir’s wise directives and advices, stressing that all should do their best to turn them into a reality on the ground.

Meanwhile, The March 28 public grilling session was held upon the request of MP Saleh Ashour, and came as part of the new government’s “open and transparent” efforts, added the statement.

The statement described the session as an “enactment of true parliamentary practice, which requires fruitful cooperation and building between the executive and legislative branches of power” in the country.

Separately, the Cabinet adopted a draft pardon decree for the remaining sentences of several convicts.

Some 38 people were approved as Kuwaiti citizens as descendants of Kuwaiti fathers, whom have recently acquired citizenship, while another 264 descendants of Kuwaiti widows were also granted citizenship.

Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah will represent the Amir at an upcoming ceremony held in London to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II next month, the Cabinet added.

On the international scale, a number of agreements were passed, after revision by the Cabinet’s legal affairs committee.
These include agreements for air services with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Switzerland, industrial cooperation with Morocco and cooperation in the field of agriculture with Sudan.
Others include a memorandum of understanding for the protection of the environment between Kuwait’s Environment Public Authority and the Environment Ministry of South Korea, a memorandum of understanding in the field of sports between Kuwait’s Public Authority for Youth and Sports and Oman’s Ministry of Sports’ Affairs, a memorandum of understanding on strategic dialogue between the Gulf Cooperation Council and China, and a memorandum of understanding in the field of investment with Sudan.

The Cabinet went on to discuss political developments in the regional and international arenas.