The Saudi foreign minister Prince Saud al Faisal has undergone spine surgery in the United States, the royal court said today. The operation was successful and Prince Saud is expected to return to Saudi Arabia soon, "after a convalescing period," the court said in a brief statement carried by SPA state news agency. Born in 1940, the kingdom's chief diplomat has suffered spine problems over the past few years. He has undergone previous operations in the United States for the condition.
In office since 1975, Prince Saud is one of the world's longest serving foreign ministers. *AFP
