Dow Chemical issue moribund unless reignited by new MPs request

National Assembly Speaker Marzouq al-Ghanim informed lawmakers on Wednesday that they would have to officially request once again if they wanted to discuss the DOW Chemical issue. The official request would have to be signed by ten lawmakers to merit the convening of a special session to discuss this thorny issue. The new oil minister Ali al-Omair said in today's parliament session that the government had no qualms about discussing this issue, noting that the government had itself formed a committee to investigate it and had asked the parliament to form its own such a committee. It would be appropriate, he concluded, that everyone waited for these two committees to finish their reports on the subject at which time a special parliamentary session would be called to discuss them. In today's parliamentary session, which was mostly dedicated to speeches by lawmakers in response to the Amiri address to the parliament earlier, the lawmakers emphasized in their pronouncements such issues as fighting corruption, the rule of law, national unity, and the need for the government to carry out vital infrastructure projects that enhance development and growth in the country. After these speeches, the Speaker adjourned the meeting until tomorrow.