Kuwaiti prime minister declines re-appointment

By Viola Fahmy

KUWAIT CITY (AA) – Kuwait's caretaker Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber al-Mubarak has declined to be reappointed as a premier, the official KUNA news agency said Monday.

The Gulf state's ruler, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, asked al-Mubarak to form a new government, but he rejected the offer, KUNA said.

Al-Mubarak said he rebuffed the offer due to "allegations and claims" against him.

The government resigned last week after a non-confidence vote against the interior minister for alleged corruption.

Meanwhile, the Kuwaiti emir issued a decree relieving Defense Minister Sheikh Nasser Sabah al-Ahmed and Interior Minister Sheikh Khaled al-Jarrah al-Sabah from their posts.

Kuwait has a history of governments’ resignations over feuds with the parliament.

*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara