Saudi king appoints son deputy foreign minister

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has appointed his son deputy foreign minister with the rank of minister, the official SPA news agency said on Friday. "The king appoints Prince Abdel Aziz bin Abdullah bin Abdel Aziz as deputy foreign minister with the rank of minister," SPA quoted a royal decree as saying.
Veteran Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal, like other aging senior members of the royal family, including the king, has faced health problems, in his case with his neck and back. Prince Abdel Aziz has served as his father's special envoy for important regional issues, especially relations with Syria.