KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait’s parliament voted unanimously yesterday to ask the Audit Bureau to probe three planned arms deals with the United States and France that one lawmaker said are worth billions of dollars.

The decision, requested by 32 MPs and not opposed by cabinet ministers present at the parliamentary session, calls on the independent Audit Bureau to investigate whether the acts were “in line with Kuwaiti laws.”

The contracts concern the planned purchase of an unspecified number of US Hercules transport aircraft, an ammunition factory and up to 28 French-made Rafale warplanes.

Islamist MP Jamaan Al Harbash alleged that Defence Minister Sheikh Jaber Al Mubarak Al Sabah, who did not attend the session, has kept parliament in the dark regarding these arms deals.

He said that the minister has refused to answer his questions about the three deals, which are “worth billions of dollars.”

Some opposition MPs have claimed the value of the possible deals was inflated. No details were provided in parliament about the deals or their value.

Last month, Kuwait and France signed a new defence agreement in Paris and discussed details about a possible sale of Rafale war planes. Sheikh Jaber said after talks in Paris that Kuwait would be “proud” to have the supersonic Rafale jet for its armed forces at some point in the future.

He said he had given the Rafale the green light and passed the matter to technical teams for detailed scrutiny.

“We hope to get the Rafale for our air force,” he said, without saying how many planes Kuwait might acquire. During a Gulf tour in February, Sarkozy said discussions had begun with Kuwait for the sale of between 14 and 28 of the Dassault-made fighters.

Oman home buyers to get visa after completion of project

MUSCAT: Oman will issue residence visa to foreign home owners after the completion of the properties and not on registration, a government official said.

Mohammed Al Sinani, the Tourism Ministry’s director general of planning and follow-up, told Reuters that foreign property buyers would get a residence visa after the title deed has been changed to their names. His comment camed after property buyers said that developers had promised they would receive residence visas while the homes are under construction.

“Home buyers get a multiple 3-week visiting visa each time they come when their property is under construction. Then they can apply to get two-year residency after the completion,” Sinani said.

Buyers are also entitled to get residency for their family and parents. The residency will be cancelled and is transferable to the new owner when the property is sold, Sinani added.

Foreigners can only buy in areas called integrated tourism complex (ITC) - the Wave, Salalah Beach Resort, Barr Al Jissah, Yiti Resort, Muscat Hills, Blue City and Jebel Sifah.

Half of Iraqis killed in October perished in coordinated attacks

BAGHDAD: Nearly half of all Iraqis who died in October perished in a single coordinated attack against government offices in Baghdad.

Of the 364 Iraqis killed over the past month, according to the AP count, 155 died in two nearly simultaneous bombs targeting government buildings on October 25 in downtown Baghdad — the worst coordinated attack in more than two years.

The impact of the devastating bombing, which occurred in one of the most protected parts of the capital, continues to be felt as the government struggles to convince Iraqis it can protect them.

The government blamed an alliance of Al Qaeda in Iraq and members of Saddam Hussein’s outlawed Baath party for similar bombings in August of the Justice and Finance ministries that killed about 100 people and has called for an international investigation, particular with regard to the role of neighboring Syria.

In a nod toward Iraqi concerns, special UN envoy Oscar Fernandez-Taranco met Monday with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and senior government officials as part of “preliminary consultations on the incidents surrounding” the August 19 and October 25 blasts.

Fernandez-Taranco said on Monday he had come to Baghdad to “listen to the government of Iraq’s concerns” over security and sovereignty issues. The UN’s decision to send the special envoy to Baghdad came before the October attacks.

April was the deadliest month in Iraq this year with 451 killed, according to the AP count, followed by June with 448 and August with 425 Iraqis killed.

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