Saud bin Faisal bin Abdul Aziz

Saud bin Faisal bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud (Arabic: سعود بن فيصل بن عبد العزيز آل سعود )(born 1940 in Taif ,Saudi Arabia) more commonly referred to as Saud al Faisal, is the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, appointed to the position in 1975 by King Khalid.

Amongst the world's longest serving foreign ministers, Prince Saud is well regarded internationally among his peers. He has worked closely with Kings Khalid, Fahd and Abdullah, seemingly surviving the reputed in-fighting of the Al Saud.

Prince Saud is a son of the late Faisal bin Abdul Aziz, King of Saudi Arabia from 1964-1975, by influential wife Effat Al-Thuniyyan" [http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgenciesPublicSite/ArticleDetails.aspx?Language=en&id=1061147] ". Kuna news service. Retrieved 19 July, 2008.] ,. He is married, with three sons and three daughters, and is, along with his seven brothers, a trustee of the King Faisal Foundation. The Prince has a degree in economics from Princeton University where he was an elected member of the exclusive Ivy Club. Positions he has held include:

* Economic consultant in the Ministry of Petroleum & Mineral Resources
* Deputy Governor of Petromin for Planning Affairs
* Deputy Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources
* Appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs by royal decree in 1975.

Prince Saud is reputed to be among King Abdullah's closest allies and has spearheaded much of Saudi Arabia's challenge to reinvent its international image after the public relations crisis it suffered post 9/11. A grandson of King Abdul Aziz, he is frequently suggested as a candidate to Saudi Arabia's line of succession, though in recent years, recurring health issues may hinder any such promotion.

References

External links

* [http://www.mofa.gov.sa/Detail.asp?InSectionID=1719&InNewsItemID=34525 Ministry of Foreign Affairs]
* [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,251-1988111,00.html Saudis warn Iran that its nuclear plan risks disaster] - "The Times", January 16, 2006
* [http://web.nps.navy.mil/~relooney/Arabia_80.htm Interview in 1998 with "The Financial Times"]
* [http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/search/interviews/alfaisal.html Transcript from 2002 Interview with PBS frontline]
* [http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/saud/interviews/saud.html Transcript from 2005 Interviw with PBS frontline]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcQiM541FFk 2007? interview with Charlie Rose on Google Video]