Kuwait - Kuwaiti ruling family selects PM to replace emir: source

Agence France Presse | January 20, 2005

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Kuwait's ruling al-Sabah family has overwhelmingly backed Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah to become emir to replace the emirate's new ailing ruler, a top family source told AFP Friday.

"The overwhelming majority of the family came this morning to the house of Sheikh Sabah and expressed complete trust in him to become new emir in light of the health condition of the current emir," the source said on condition of anonymity.

"Sheikh Sabah accepted their request" during the meeting attended by nearly all senior members of the ruling family, said the source.

Sheikh Saad al-Abdullah al-Sabah, 75, who was named emir on Sunday following the death of Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabah, has been experiencing poor health since undergoing colon surgery in 1997.

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So Kuwait had 3 emirs over the past week.

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Or maybe they had 2 emirs and this article is saying the new guy will become the next emir someday?

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KUWAIT CITY (AP)--The speaker of parliament said on Saturday the newly named but ailing emir wants to take the oath of office, signaling discord within the ruling family.

Some in the family had asked that the prime minister, half brother to the former emir who died a week ago, be named to take charge of the country because his successor, Sheik Saad Al Abdullah Al Sabah, was too ill.