Kuwait parliament questions oil minister, row deepens

KUWAIT, June 25 (Reuters) A row between Kuwait's government and parliament deepened today when deputies began questioning the major OPEC state's embattled oil minister over his suitability for office.

Parliament has been locked in a standoff with the cabinet of the world's seventh largest oil exporter for weeks. Kuwait's ruler has urged parliament to give the government time to get to work just three months after the previous cabinet resigned amid pressure on the health minister.

Deputies grilled Oil Minister Sheikh Ali al-Jarrah al-Sabah, a member of the ruling family, over comments he made to the local al-Qabas newspaper saying he had sought advice from Sheikh Ali al-Khalifa al-Sabah, a former oil minister who was once investigated over a graft scandal.

''The statement by the minister in al-Qabas was a strong shock to everyone who read it in the political and judicial context,'' MP Abdallah al-Roumi told Reuters.

''Did he know what he was doing when he called on the former minister for advice when he is still being investigated?'' Another MP, Mussallam al-Barrak, accused Sheikh Ali of facilitating the embezzlement of public funds.

The deputies also showed pictures of a party they alleged involved Japanese prostitutes and officials from the Kuwait Petroleum Corp (KPC) and was paid for with public funds.

In his defence, the oil minister said he had not allowed anyone to influence Kuwait's oil policy and that he had set up a committee to investigate the sleaze allegations at KPC, adding that the main official involved had already resigned and paid back the public money spent on the Tokyo party.

''I today apologise for any misunderstanding,'' he told parliament. ''I do not allow anyone to interfere in the affairs of the ministry. I sought the advice of Sheikh Khalifa al-Sabah on OPEC-related issues but I seek advice from many people.'' An official questioning session is the sharpest weapon available to Kuwait's parliament, which has a history of challenging the government in a region comprised of autocratic rulers, because it can lead to a no-confidence vote.

Parliament was expected to end the all-day session with a call for such a vote, which would be held in two week's time.

Changes in senior personnel at the oil ministry do not usually affect Kuwait's energy policy, which is set by a special committee. The government said late yesterday it would continue to support the oil minister.

Sheikh Ali is the third oil minister to be questioned by parliament in Kuwait's history, state news agency KUNA said.

The former oil minister was investigated over the alleged embezzlement of 130 million dollars at the state oil company.

He has denied any wrongdoing and a ministers' court dropped the case against him on a technicality in 2001.

Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah has the last say in politics but tends to step in on major issues only.

Kuwait's rulers have dissolved parliament several times since it was set up in 1963. Some media have speculated that the emir may be tempted to dissolve parliament to end the standoff.

REUTERS SKB HS1933