| Kippreport.com

Saudi King appoints son as Deputy Foreign Minister

July 23, 2011 1:04 by Reuters

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah appointed his son Abdul-Aziz to the post of deputy foreign minister on Friday.

The state news agency said the move was part of a series of appointments made by the king, who is in his 80s.

Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal has occupied the post since 1975 but has difficulty speaking in public due to illness.

Friday’s appointment places the king’s son in pole position to take over the portfolio, which some analysts had previously speculated could go to Saud al-Faisal’s brother, Turki, former intelligence chief. (Reporting by Andrew Hammond)

Tags: foreign minister saudi, Saudi, Saudi Arabia, Saudi government, saudi king abdullah, saudi prince foreign minister