The Kuwaiti parliamentary committee for foreign
relations on Thursday rejected a security pact ratified by other Gulf
nations, with MPs saying the government-backed treaty is
unconstitutional.
Leaders of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) approved the
pact at a summit in December 2012 after it was signed by all GCC
interior ministers including Kuwait.
The text paves the way for the extradition of anyone accused of
carrying out political or security activities against a GCC member
state.
It also allows members to seek military and security assistance from
other GCC states -- Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the
United Arab Emirates -- to counter unrest.
But opponents say the pact will undermine constitutional freedoms in
Kuwait, the first member of the GCC to have a directly elected
parliament and relatively few restrictions on the press and public
expression.
Several political groups have held rallies warning that the pact will turn Kuwait into a police state.
Three members of the five-strong foreign relations committee on
Thursday rejected the measure while the other two voted in favour, panel
secretary Hamdan al-Azemi told reporters.
The panel referred the issue to parliament for a final decision,
Azemi added. Parliament is not expected to debate the issue until late
October.
Parliament, which is dominated by pro-government MPs but also
includes several opposition MPs, can approve the pact but the panel's
decision is an indication of the mounting rejection in Kuwait to the
controversial treaty.
Since early 2006, Kuwait has been in almost continuous political
crisis, with a dozen cabinets quitting and parliament dissolved six
times.
But since July parliamentary elections, tensions have subsided as parliament and government opt for cooperation.
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