KUWAIT CITY - Kuwait Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah has denied reports that key political changes are afoot in the oil-rich emirate, according to remarks published on Wednesday.
"There are no changes, neither at the level of the government nor at any other level," Sheikh Sabah said in an interview with the Al-Rai Al-Aam newspaper.
In recent months, leading members of the al-Sabah ruling family have admitted an internal crisis which they said was the root cause of the Gulf Arab state's political impasse.
Last September, Sheikh Salem al-Ali al-Sabah, who heads the National Guard and ranks fourth in the family hierarchy, told Al-Qabas newspaper that the dynasty was to announce "key decisions" to "herald a new era" of stability.
He declined to reveal the nature of the changes, although he compared them to the historical adoption of Kuwait's liberal constitution in 1962 and the separation in 2003 of the posts of crown prince and prime minister.
Health problems among leaders of Kuwait's ruling family have also fuelled speculation of a power shake-up.
Sheikh Jaber, who has ruled the oil-rich Gulf Arab state for 27 years, suffered a brain haemorrhage in September 2001 and spent four months recovering in Britain.
Last August, he spent about 10 days undergoing medical examinations at a New York hospital.
The 77-year-old emir has delegated most of his public duties to his half-brother, Sheikh Sabah, who took over the premiership in July 2003.
The 75-year-old Crown Prince Sheikh Saad al-Abdullah al-Sabah was also recently hospitalized. He had colon surgery in 1997 and has since been undergoing treatment.
However, the prime minister denied that the country was under the leadership of anyone other than the emir.
"His Excellency Emir (Sheikh Jaber) has returned to the homeland, thank God, and he is there and guiding everyone and is in good health," after recent surgery in the United States, Sheikh Sabah said.
"The government is intensifying its meetings to achieve the greatest number of lingering issues... with the priority for reforming laws and fighting against corruption," he said.
The family has been ruling Kuwait for about 250 years, and Kuwaitis have seldom questioned their rule.
The family controls the key ministerial portfolios of defense, interior, energy and foreign affairs, as well as communications.
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