Kuwait's Islamist-led opposition appears headed for a key victory in this week's general election, described as crucial for the future of the oil-rich Gulf state.

The outcome of Thursday's ballot, the fourth in just under six years, is not expected to end political turmoil that has paralyzed development in OPEC's third largest oil producer, however.

Hundreds of angry Kuwaiti tribesmen burned down the tent of a controversial candidate standing in general elections this week after he made comments deemed offensive to their clan, witnesses said Tuesday.

No one was injured in the incident, which occurred late Monday, following a campaign rally by the candidate, Mohammed al-Juwaihel, who is competing in Thursday's legislative poll.

Candidates contesting a general election in Kuwait this week are calling for sweeping reforms including a new constitution that would turn the oil-rich Gulf state into a full democracy.

Their demands range from the establishment of a Western-style, multi-party system, an elected government and a constitutional monarchy, effectively limiting powers enjoyed by the ruling al-Sabah family.

Saudi Arabia will recognize the Syrian National Council as the "official representative" of the Syrian people, a senior member of the opposition group said in remarks published on Friday.

"Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal told an SNC delegation he met in Cairo last week the kingdom will recognize the Council as the official representative of the Syrian people," SNC executive council member Ahmad Ramadan told Kuwait's al-Rai newspaper.

The National Bank of Kuwait, the emirate's top lender, said Thursday it posted a record net profit of 302.4 million dinars ($1.087 billion) in 2011 despite difficult challenges and Middle East unrest.

NBK's net profit is only 0.2 percent higher than the 301.7 million dinars for 2010, the bank said in a statement.

Kuwait's public prosecutor has ordered 61 stateless men be detained for three weeks pending a probe into their alleged involvement in protests that turned violent, their lawyer said Thursday.

The men were arrested in mid-January when riot police cracked down on thousands of stateless protesters who were demanding the right to Kuwaiti citizenship and a host of basic rights.

Kuwait Petroleum Corp. has reached a deal with France's Total to be a partner in a Kuwait-China refinery joint venture, the Kuwaiti oil minister was Tuesday quoted as saying.

Mohammad al-Baseeri said the deal was struck after Shell withdrew from talks in the $9 billion refinery and petrochemical complex, Al-Jarida newspaper reported.

Gulf Arab states have decided to pull their observers sent to Syria as part of an Arab League mission out of the restive country, they announced in a joint official statement on Tuesday.

"Gulf Cooperation Council states have decided to follow Saudi Arabia's decision to pull out its observers from the Arab League mission in Syria," the GCC statement said.

A Kuwaiti former oil minister and senior member of the Al-Sabah ruling family, Sheikh Saud Nasser al-Sabah, has died after a long battle with cancer, said the royal court. He was 68.

Sheikh Saud died late on Saturday night in a Kuwaiti hospital, the court said in a statement.

A Kuwaiti court on Tuesday sentenced two police officers to life in prison and handed three others 16-year jail terms for torturing a man to death last year.

The criminal court also issued prison sentences to another two other officers, one to 15 years in jail and another for two years.