Emir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Wednesday pledged to be a "loyal citizen" for his nation and people, and underlined that executive and legislative authorities should cooperate to serve the best interests of Kuwait. "Today I have become head of the state and I pledge to the Kuwaiti people through you to be a loyal citizen for his nation and people, keen on the interest of the nation, keen on national unity," as well as development, progress, and prosperity, the Emir said in a speech before the parliament after taking the constitutional oath as the 17th ruler of the State of Kuwait. "The task is heavy and the oath is great," he noted. The Emir said he was keen on compliance with the constitution and application of law on all and fighting corruption. He also asserted "our commitment to our Gulf and international" obligations. The Emir said executive and legislative authorities have obligations to meet the aspirations of citizens, and not to take decisions that would be harmful to the nation, citing unfair appointments, naturalization that might "change the Kuwait identity", the amnesty file "and its consequences" and the rehabilitation file that were "harmful to our nation." "What is more sad is the silence of the two authorities over this systematic harm that legitimizes them (those files) and the matter becomes like a deal for mutual interest and benefits by the two authorities at the expense of the nation," he underlined. "Therefore we issued a decision to stop the appointments and transfer (of people) between jobs, and the rest of the files will be addressed to serve the interests of the nation," he said. "We have warned in the past of threats against our nation, and we need to stick to our national unity and security," and work on improving the economy and living conditions of the people. He urged them to consult and work together and to spread optimism with the objective of preserving national identity for the sake of the nation. The Emir said the political leadership would be close to all parties and follow domestic developments closely, urging objective questioning by the parliament members within the framework of the constitution and law. The Emir, meanwhile, paid tribute to the late Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who contributed immensely to the development and prosperity of Kuwait. The late Emir, he said, was an example of humility and forgiveness. The Emir thanked citizens, expatriates, leaders of friendly countries, and even those who could not come to Kuwait for expressing their condolences. "To all those I say: thank you for your sentiments and for sharing our grief," he said.