Kuwait, Tuesday

A KUWAITI anti-corruption watchdog is to investigate a planned purchase of British naval missiles after officials rejected a cheaper French offer.

Parliament gave its public funds protection committee two weeks to report on the government's choice of British Aerospace Sea Skua missiles over French MM-15 missiles made by Aerospatiale.

``This is wrong. This should not happen,'' said opposition Islamist MP Mubarak al-Duwailah, who told Defence Minister Sheikh Ahmad Hamoud al-Sabah: ``You should have decided it on the figures.''

Kuwaiti newspapers say the British weapons would cost about 27m dinars (#60m) and the French missiles about 22m dinars.

Kuwaiti opposition MPs, who have staged a vigorous four-year campaign against alleged corruption in arms procurement, say they want to know more about the missile transaction to ensure that it involves no impropriety.

Kuwaiti newspapers have said Kuwait and British Aerospace are due to sign the accord within the next few days, but MPs said today that the government would have to hold off until the report was completed.

Defence Minister Sheikh Ahmad Hamoud al-Sabah told parliament that quality was the deciding factor. The Sea Skua had proved itself in service in the 1991 Gulf War, he said, adding the MM-15 had not been through a similar test.

``The British missile is far better than the French missile,'' he said.

The missiles are due to be installed on eight fast patrol boats worth #333m sold to Kuwait by France last year.-Reuter.