KUWAIT(agencies): HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah held talks on Tuesday with current and former National Assembly speakers and prime ministers as part of customary consultations before naming a new premier. HH the Crown Prince met National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem and former speaker Ahmad Al-Saadoun. He also met HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah, who has resigned, and ex-premier HH Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. He also held phone talks with former premier HH Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, who is outside the country.

Under the Kuwaiti constitution, HH the Amir or his deputy should hold consultations with current and former speakers and premiers before naming a personality to form a new Cabinet. Sheikh Sabah submitted his resignation in early April following a grilling by opposition MPs and after 26 lawmakers, two more than the required quorum, said they will support a motion to declare non-cooperation with the premier.

The resignation was accepted by HH the Amir and Sheikh Sabah and the Cabinet were asked to continue as a caretaker government to run emergency matters. In a national speech last month, HH the Amir announced plans to dissolve the National Assembly and call for fresh polls to end ongoing political disputes between the government and opposition MPs that had effectively paralyzed the functioning of the government and the Assembly for months.

Forming a new Cabinet is important to issue the Amiri decree dissolving the Assembly. HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal can rename Sheikh Sabah to form a new Cabinet or can name a new personality to form the government.