Kuwaiti parliament to investigate Airbus aircraft orders

[February 19, 2020]  DUBAI (Reuters) - Kuwaiti lawmakers agreed on Wednesday to set up a committee to look into whether Airbus's <AIR.PA> aircraft orders from the Gulf Arab state involved alleged corruption, the state news agency reported.

Logo of Airbus is pictured at the aircraft builder's headquarters of Airbus in Colomiers near Toulouse, France, September 27, 2019. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau/File Photo

Governments and airlines around the world have launched their own investigations after Airbus on Jan. 31 reached a record $4 billion settlement with prosecutors in Britain, France and United States over alleged bribery and corruption stretching back more than a decade.

In Kuwait, a three-member parliamentary committee has been tasked with reviewing Airbus orders and is to submit a report of its findings to the National Assembly within three months, KUNA reported.

Kuwait’s anti-corruption authority said on Feb. 6 it was open to receiving any information about alleged bribes paid to secure Airbus plane orders involving Kuwaiti parties.

The parliament also asked the finance ministry to review recent aircraft deals involving state-owned Kuwait Airways.

Airbus was not immediately available to comment.

(Writing by Alexander Cornwell. Editing by Jane Merriman)

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