Cabinet resigns in Kuwait political crisis
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The government of oil-rich Kuwait resigned today following a bitter dispute with opposition MPs, lawmaker Khaled al-Sultan said.
"The Kuwaiti cabinet has resigned and the resignation has been accepted by the emir," the Islamist opposition MP told reporters outside parliament.
"We are waiting for the appointment of a new prime minister before parliament is dissolved in order to be assured of fair elections," the lawmaker said.
Parliament speaker Jassem al-Khorafi declined to comment on the decision, but said he had not been informed about dissolving parliament.
The announcement came after Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al-Sabah chaired an emergency meeting of the cabinet headed by Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad al-Ahmad Al-Sabah to discuss the emirate's latest political crisis.
Sheikh Nasser, 71, was due to be questioned in parliament by three opposition MPs on allegations of graft including charges that he transferred public funds into his overseas accounts.
The government has denied the charges.
The move also came ahead of a planned mass rally later today by the opposition to press demands for the premier's ouster.
Sheikh Nasser, a nephew of the emir, was appointed to the post in February 2006 and has since now resigned seven times due to political turmoil. Parliament has been dissolved on three occasions over the same period.
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