The Saudi royal court said on Saturday night that King Fahd would undergo further medical tests but that his condition was "stable and reassuring" following initial examinations. Tests conducted after the monarch was hospitalised on Friday evening proved that his condition is "stable and reassuring," and he would undergo remaining tests at a later date, it said in a statement obtained by AFP. The statement was also read on state television.
"His condition is stable... The results of medical tests make us reassured," Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal told reporters.
The monarch, believed to be 84, has been frail since suffering a stroke a decade ago and has delegated the running of day-to-day affairs to his half-brother, Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz.
Prince Saud did not give details, but official sources earlier told AFP King Fahd had a lung infection.
Abdullah, who is expected to eventually succeed Fahd, has long represented Riyadh at such meetings and in talks with world leaders, visiting US President George W. Bush at his Texas ranch last month for the second time in three years. The foreign minister's remarks were in line with previous official statements reporting that Fahd was in good shape after being admitted to hospital for medical tests.
Officials also dismissed reports that a state of alert has been declared in the vast kingdom, which has been battling a wave of violence by suspected al Qaeda militants for the past two years.
"We have a law of governance. There is a crown prince, and if you ask any Saudi who will be the next king, he will answer you," a senior Saudi official told AFP on condition of anonymity, referring to a document promulgated by Fahd in 1992.
The situation on the streets of the capital was normal with no apparent extra police deployment except outside the hospital where the monarch was being treated and as part of arrangements for the Gulf summit.
"People don't expect anything abnormal to happen. So there was actually no need to take any extra security measure whatsoever," interior ministry spokesman Mansur al-Turki told AFP.
He had earlier denied reports that a state of alert was declared in the kingdom, which sits on a quarter of global oil reserves.
But oil markets reacted nervously to the news from Saudi Arabia, which is currently pumping 9.5 million barrels per day and has declared readiness to hike production to meet surging global demand.
New York's main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in July, climbed 84 cents to 51.85 dollars per barrel Friday. In London, the price of Brent North Sea crude oil for July delivery gained 54 cents to 50.70 dollars.
Gulf experts, however, said Fahd's state of health will not affect Saudi oil policy, which has been marked by stability under Abdullah's command.
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