MIDEAST UPDATE

Kuwait will not sell major international assets to raise the money to rebuild the country after Iraq’s occupation despite large-scale destruction, according to Sheik Ali al Khalifa al Sabah, Kuwait’s finance minister.

Defense stocks, which have performed strongly during the Persian Gulf War, sagged on expectations that peace may be at hand in the six-week conflict.

Worried about possible financial losses because of anti-war protests in San Francisco, the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce said it will unleash an ad campaign today, aimed at presenting the city as squarely behind the war effort.

State Controller Gray Davis unveiled California’s Operation Desert Storm Information Kit to assist military families with questions about taxes and other government-related services. The kit will be issued to the legal staffs of major California military organizations as a reference tool in assisting military families.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines plans to resume limited flight service to the Gulf region because of improved safety conditions in the region and rising passenger demand.