ÿþ<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <!-- saved from url=(0078)http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/world/middle_east/newsid_1556000/1556249.stm --> <HTML><HEAD><TITLE>BBC News | MIDDLE EAST | Kuwait leader suffers stroke</TITLE> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=unicode"><!--NewsOnLineQLX--> <META name=OLBBC_STORY SUGGESTIONS=""> <META content=YES name=OLBBC_STORY> <META content="Kuwait leader suffers stroke" name=Headline> <META content="World: Middle East" name=Section> <META content="Sheikh Jaber al-Sabah - a strong ally of the West - is admitted to a London hospital after suffering a brain haemorrhage." name=Description> <META http-equiv=expires content=now> <META http-equiv=pragma content=no-cache> <META content="BBC news world uk international foreign british online service" name=keywords> <META content="2001/09/21 22:17:29" name=OriginalPublicationDate> <META content="MSHTML 5.50.4616.200" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY><FONT face="Arial, Verdana, sans-serif"><!--NewsOnLineQLX--><A href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/middle_east/newsid_1556000/1556249.stm">High Graphics</A> | <A href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport/low/english/default.stm">BBC Sport&gt;&gt;</A><BR><A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/text_only.stm">Front Page</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/world/default.stm">World</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/uk/default.stm">UK</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/uk_politics/default.stm">UK Politics</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/business/default.stm">Business</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/sci/tech/default.stm">Sci/Tech</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/health/default.stm">Health</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/education/default.stm">Education</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/entertainment/default.stm">Entertainment</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/talking_point/default.stm">Talking Point</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/audiovideo/default.stm">AudioVideo</A> | <HR> <B>World Contents:</B> <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/world/africa/default.stm">Africa</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/world/americas/default.stm">Americas</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/world/asia-pacific/default.stm">Asia-Pacific</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/world/europe/default.stm">Europe</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/world/middle_east/default.stm">Middle East</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/world/south_asia/default.stm">South Asia</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/world/from_our_own_correspondent/default.stm">From Our Own Correspondent</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/world/letter_from_america/default.stm">Letter From America</A> | <HR> <H2>BBC News Online: <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/world/default.stm">World: </A><A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/world/middle_east/default.stm"><B>Middle East</B> </A></H2> <HR> <!--NOLStoryBody--><B>Friday, 21 September, 2001, 22:17 GMT 23:17 UK </B> <H3>Kuwait leader suffers stroke</H3><BR><!-- NOLImage --> <DIV class=inlineimage><IMG height=180 alt="The Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Jabir al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah" src="kuwait-1.files/_1556249_kuwait-ap-300.jpe" width=315 border=0> <DIV class=caption><SMALL>Kuwait sits on 10% of known world oil reserves </SMALL><BR></DIV></DIV><!-- /NOLImage -->The Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabah, has suffered a brain haemorrhage and has flown to London for medical treatment. <P>An official statement said that the 73-year-old leader was "fully conscious and not in intensive care". <P>He arrived in London on Friday evening and was admitted to the elite Cromwell Hospital for observation. <P><IMG height=190 alt="Kuwaiti war memorial" src="kuwait-1.files/_1556673_tank-ap-150.jpg" width=150 border=0> <BR clear=all>The emir, who has ruled the oil-rich state since 1977, was taken to hospital on Friday after suffering "an ailment which led to... a brain haemorrhage", Kuwaiti TV said. <P>But the bleeding was "limited" and his condition "stable". <P>Government ministers said he was not expected to undergo surgery in London. <P>BBC Middle East correspondent Frank Gardner says the emir's sudden illness has shocked Kuwaitis and raised fears about his eventual successor. <P>People flocked to the hospital where he was taken in Kuwait before a special hospital plane flew him to London. <P><B>Important ally</B> <P>Kuwait is a major Western ally in the Gulf. <P>The country was freed from Iraqi occupation by a US-led coalition in 1991. It has offered its whole-hearted support to the anti-terrorist coalition President Bush is forming following the suicide attacks in Washington and New York. <P>Sheikh Jaber himself has voiced his "disgust" at the attacks and promised to work "hand in hand" with Washington, which keeps combat aircraft and an important cache of emergency military supplies in Kuwait. <P><IMG height=180 alt="Kuwait City" src="kuwait-1.files/_1556673_kuwait-bbc-150.jpe" width=150 border=0> <BR clear=all>But some ordinary Kuwaitis resent US support for Israel and local Islamic fundamentalist groups have interpreted the plane attacks as a reminder of "Palestinian suffering". <P>The government's support for Washington has also bred resentment among Arab neighbours. <P>Some Palestinians have even blamed it for the death of one of their leading figures, Faisal Husseini, while on a visit to Kuwait this summer. <P><B>Dynasty</B> <P>The eventual successor to Sheikh Jaber may also become a difficult issue, as the next in line, Sheikh Sa'd al-Abdallah al-Salim al-Sabah, is 71 and has a history of health problems. <P>But the emir already plays little active part in the running of the state, which is divided between Sheikh Sa'd and the foreign minister, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah. <P>Sheikh Jaber has ruled Kuwait for the past 23 years, apart from the few months during which it was occupied by Iraq. <P>As such he has continued a 250-year dynasty. <P>Since his triumphant return to power after the Gulf War, he has carried out several important reforms, such as the revival of the Kuwaiti parliament he abolished in 1986 and laws against corruption and state secrecy. <P>Under his rule, Kuwait has become one of the world's richest states and biggest investors. <P> <HR> <B>Related to this story:</B><BR><A class=heavy href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/world/middle_east/newsid_1557000/1557246.stm">Analysis: Kuwait's leadership crisis </A>(21 Sep 01&nbsp;|&nbsp;Middle East) <A class=heavy href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/world/middle_east/newsid_1187000/1187827.stm">Gulf war leaders mark anniversary </A>(22 Sep 01&nbsp;|&nbsp;Middle East) <A class=heavy href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/health/medical_notes/g-i/newsid_764000/764071.stm">Stroke - haemorrhagic </A>(23 Jun 00&nbsp;|&nbsp;G-I) <A class=heavy href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/world/monitoring/media_reports/newsid_1375000/1375545.stm">Flag-burning inflames Kuwaitis </A>(07 Jun 01&nbsp;|&nbsp;Media reports) <A class=heavy href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/world/middle_east/newsid_861000/861753.stm">Kuwait's hidden war scars </A>(01 Aug 00&nbsp;|&nbsp;Middle East) <A class=heavy href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/world/middle_east/country_profiles/newsid_791000/791053.stm">Country profile: Kuwait </A>(03 Jul 01&nbsp;|&nbsp;Country profiles) <P> <HR> <B>Internet links:</B> <A class=heavy href="http://www.kuwait-info.org/Home/home.html">Kuwait Information Office (USA) | </A><BR><I>The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites</I> <HR> <!--NewsOnLineQLX--><A href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/middle_east/newsid_1556000/1556249.stm">High Graphics</A> | <A href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport/low/english/default.stm">BBC Sport&gt;&gt;</A><BR><A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/text_only.stm">Front Page</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/world/default.stm">World</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/uk/default.stm">UK</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/uk_politics/default.stm">UK Politics</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/business/default.stm">Business</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/sci/tech/default.stm">Sci/Tech</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/health/default.stm">Health</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/education/default.stm">Education</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/entertainment/default.stm">Entertainment</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/talking_point/default.stm">Talking Point</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/audiovideo/default.stm">AudioVideo</A> | <HR> <B>World Contents:</B> <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/world/africa/default.stm">Africa</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/world/americas/default.stm">Americas</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/world/asia-pacific/default.stm">Asia-Pacific</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/world/europe/default.stm">Europe</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/world/middle_east/default.stm">Middle East</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/world/south_asia/default.stm">South Asia</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/world/from_our_own_correspondent/default.stm">From Our Own Correspondent</A> | <A class=index href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/world/letter_from_america/default.stm">Letter From America</A> | <HR> <FORM action=/scripts/query.idq method=get><INPUT size=30 name=CiRestriction> <INPUT type=submit value=Search> <INPUT type=hidden value=32 name=CiMaxRecordsPerPage> <INPUT type=hidden value=/Low name=CiScope> <INPUT type=hidden value=query_low name=TemplateName> <INPUT type=hidden value=rank[d] name=CiSort> <INPUT type=hidden value=query.htm name=HTMLQueryForm> </FORM><BR><A href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/world/middle_east/newsid_1556000/1556249.stm#top">Back to top</A> | <A href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/default.htm">BBC News Home</A> | <A href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/">BBC Homepage</A> | <A href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/copyright.htm">iÿ</A> </FONT></BODY></HTML>