Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz is alive and in "excellent shape", the Saudi foreign minister said on Thursday after rumours about the king's health triggered a spike in the price of oil. Abdullah, around 87, has been resting in Morocco since January following a two-month stay in the United States where he underwent surgery twice after a blood clot complicated a slipped disc, state media have said.
"I'd like to reassure you about the health of the king. He is in excellent shape. He is undergoing therapy as you know. Doctors are suggesting a certain amount of therapy," Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal told a news conference. "He is doing twice as much. They are suggesting a certain time for therapy. He is looking to cut it in half," he added.
The foreign minister, who is also the King's nephew, was speaking in Morocco, which he visited on Thursday after postponing a planned trip to Algeria. "He (King Abdullah) is his usual self and looking forward to going back to work and going back home," said Prince Saud. An adviser to a senior member of the ruling family also said rumours of the king's death were false. Two Gulf-based diplomats said they were unaware of changes to the king's health.
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