Saud bin Faisal Al Saud
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Family name hatnote Template:Infobox royalty Saud bin Faisal Al Saud (Template:Langx), also known as Saud Al Faisal (Template:Langx, Suʿūd Āl Fayṣal; 2 January 1940 – 9 July 2015), was a Saudi Arabian statesman and diplomat who served as the foreign minister of Saudi Arabia from 1975 to 2015. He was a member of the Saudi royal family, a son of King Faisal, and one of the grandsons of Saudi Arabia's founder King Abdulaziz. He was the longest-serving foreign minister in world history.
Early life, education and early career
Saud bin Faisal was born in Taif on 2 January 1940.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He was the second son of King Faisal and Iffat Al-Thunayan who was born to a Turkish family.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=autogenerated2>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> He was the full brother of Sara bint Faisal, Mohammed bin Faisal, Latifa bint Faisal, Abdul Rahman bin Faisal, Bandar bin Faisal, Turki bin Faisal, Luluwah bint Faisal, and Haifa bint Faisal.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Prince Saud attended the Hun School of Princeton<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> and graduated from Princeton University in 1964 with a bachelor of arts in economics.<ref name=autogenerated4>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=nlud5apr>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2007, he told Ford Fraker, then US ambassador to Saudi Arabia, that during his studies at Princeton, he would like to leave the university and to return to the country.<ref name=ffr>Template:Cite news</ref> However, his father, Faisal, came to the campus and persuaded him to complete his education.<ref name=ffr/>
Following his return to Saudi Arabia, Prince Saud became an economic consultant for the ministry of petroleum.<ref name=autogenerated4/> In 1966, he moved to the general organization for petroleum and mineral resources, (Petromin).<ref name=autogenerated4/> In February 1970, he became deputy governor of Petromin for planning affairs.<ref name=autogenerated4/> He was also a member of the High Coordination Committee.<ref name=autogenerated4/> In 1971, he became deputy minister of petroleum.<ref name=autogenerated4/><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Prince Saud served in this post at the oil ministry until 1975 when he was appointed as state minister for foreign affairs.<ref name=sarasota/> He replaced Omar Al Saqqaf in the post who had died in November 1974.<ref name=sarasota>Template:Cite news</ref>
Foreign minister
On 13 October 1975, King Khalid appointed Prince Saud as foreign minister.<ref>Saud Al Faisal</ref> He was relieved from the post on 29 April 2015 due to health problems and was replaced by Adel al-Jubeir, a former Saudi ambassador to the United States.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Timeline
Prince Saud was well regarded in the diplomatic community.<ref name=autogenerated3>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 1978 and also in 1985, Prince Saud raised awareness in Britain of Soviet activity in the Horn of Africa.<ref name=autogenerated2/><ref>Template:Cite thesis</ref> In May 1985, he officially visited Iran and meetings were focused on the annual pilgrimage of Iranians to Mecca.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He asked Condoleezza Rice to focus on "key substantive issues" of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. He complained that US banks were auditing Saudi Embassy banks illegally. He asserted that auditors were "inappropriate and aggressive". He also declared that the Saudi Embassy has diplomatic immunity.
Prince Saud said in 2004 that Saudi Arabia would like to reduce its dependence on U.S.-dominated security arrangements.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> In July 2004, he claimed the real source of problems in the Middle East were not Muslims but "injustice and deprivation inflicted in the region".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In August 2007, he denied allegations that terrorists were travelling from Saudi Arabia to Iraq and claimed it was vice versa.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
On 10 March 2006, he met with Hamas leaders in Riyadh.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> In July 2006, he urged U.S. President George W. Bush to call for a ceasefire in the Lebanon bombing.<ref>Michael Abramowitz and Robin Wright. (24 July 2006). Saudi Arabia Asks U.S. to Intervene in Lebanon. The Washington Post. Retrieved 29 May 2011.</ref> In January 2008, he supported parliamentary elections in Pakistan. He indicated that Pakistan did not need "overt, external interference" to solve political division. He commended Nawaz Sharif as a stable bipartisan candidate.Template:Citation needed
In February 2010, he told General Jones to distinguish between friends and enemies in Pakistan rather than using indiscriminate military action. He insisted that Pakistan's army must maintain its credibility.Template:Citation needed In November 2010, he led the Saudi delegation at the G-20 Summit.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In January 2011, he withdrew out of mediation efforts to reinstate a government in Lebanon.<ref name="autogenerated1">Template:Cite news</ref> In March 2011, he went to Europe to rally support for Saudi Arabia's intervention in Bahrain.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
After the U.S. Gulf Cooperation Council forum at the GCC secretariat in Riyadh on 31 March 2012, he said it was a "duty" to arm the Syrian opposition and help them defend themselves against the daily bloody crackdown by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Commenting on the fragile security situation, Prince Saud noted that: "One of the most important causes is the continuation of the unresolved conflict as well as the continuation of the Israeli aggression policy against the Palestinians. "We have discussed, in the meeting, many issues, especially the heinous massacre against the Syrian people. We also discussed the latest developments in Yemen, and reviewed the overall developments and political situation in the Persian Gulf region, the Middle East and North Africa, as well as their repercussions on the security and stability of the region and the world," Prince Saud said.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Iran and Lebanon
Rather than military action on Iran, Saud Al Faisal called for tougher sanctions such as travel bans and further bank lending restrictions.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He stated that U.S. foreign policy has tilted more power for Iran. He compared the Iranian influence in Iraq with Iranian influence in Lebanon. He commended positive developments by Iran such as its influence over Hezbollah to end street protests.Template:Citation needed
In early 2011, he expressed fear of the "dangerous" instability in Lebanon after the fall of the government led by Saad Hariri. He also stated that Lebanon's ability to establish peaceful coexistence with so many different groups may be a significant loss in the Arab world if the nation failed in creating a government.<ref name="autogenerated1"/>
In May 2014, it was reported that Prince Saud had invited Iran's foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to visit Riyadh, breaking the ice in one of the most hostile relationships in the Middle East ahead of key talks on Iran's nuclear program in Vienna. Speaking to reporters in the Saudi capital, Foreign Minister Prince Saud said the kingdom was ready to host the Iranian Foreign Minister "anytime he sees fit" and indicated that Riyadh was willing to open negotiations with its nemesis on the many combustible issues dividing them.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Other governmental activities
Starting in 1998, under the reign of King Fahd, Saud bin Faisal and the then Crown Prince Abdullah managed the energy sector through a committee of technocrats and princes.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> More specifically, Prince Saud was appointed chairman of the Saudi Aramco's committee charged with the project assessment in September 1999.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
On 20 November 2009, King Abdullah appointed Prince Saud as the chairman of the influential supreme economic council of Saudi Arabia.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Prince Saud was also a member of the military service council.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Views
Saudi foreign policy was designed by the King, not by the foreign minister.<ref name=autogenerated2/> Prince Saud worked closely with King Khalid, King Fahd and King Abdullah.
Prince Saud was firmly anti-Soviet and was an Arab nationalist.<ref name=autogenerated2/> When asked in 1979 if there was an alliance with the US regarding military cooperation, he stated that Saudi Arabia had no such alliance with the US, but with other Arab and Muslim countries.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
He was more resistant to Israeli proposals than King Fahd.<ref name=autogenerated2/> He lamented his legacy might be defined "by profound disappointment than by success". He regretted how his generation of leaders failed to create a Palestinian state.<ref name=autogenerated3/> He encouraged Iraqis to defend their country's sovereignty.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In the Saudi royal court, his relationship with King Fahd was strained,<ref name=autogenerated2/> but he was one of King Abdullah's closest allies.<ref name="replaced">Template:Cite news</ref> He was among the Saudi officials who worked to improve Saudi Arabia's international image and maintain its strong relationship with the United States after the September 11 attacks.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Paul Aarts and Gerd Nonneman. (Eds.). (2006). Saudi Arabia in the Balance: Political Economy, Society, Foreign Affairs</ref>
Personal life
Prince Saud was married to his cousin Jawhara bint Abdullah bin Abdul Rahman,<ref name=nlud5apr/> and they have three sons and three daughters.<ref name=autogenerated2/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> His sons are Mohammad, Khaled and Fahd, and his daughters are Haifa, Lana and Reem.<ref name=que14/> Haifa bint Saud is married to Prince Sultan bin Salman and is a professor of English literature working at King Saud University.<ref name=que14>Template:Cite book</ref>
Prince Saud lived in Jeddah.Template:Citation needed Unlike other members of the Al Saud, he often spoke publicly and interacted with reporters.<ref name=autogenerated5>Template:Cite web</ref> He spoke several languages, including English, Turkish,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Spanish, Hebrew, French, Italian and German.<ref name=autogenerated3/> He liked to play tennis.<ref name=autogenerated2/>
Business activities and properties
Prince Saud is one of the Saudi royals mentioned in Panama Papers due to his offshore accounts.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In the US, he had a house in Los Angeles's the Beverly Hills Post Office neighborhood which he built in 1983.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Social roles
Prince Saud was involved in philanthropy. He was a founding member of the King Faisal Foundation and served as chairman of the board of directors for the King Faisal School and Al Faisal University in Riyadh. He was also a member of the Society for Disabled Children and the Madinah Society for Welfare and Social Services.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Illness and death
Prince Saud suffered from Parkinson's disease and back pain.<ref name=autogenerated5/> He had surgery in the United States.<ref name=autogenerated5/> His physical appearance showed signs of health deterioration, especially difficulty standing upright.<ref name=autogenerated5/> On 11 August 2012, he had another surgery to remove a "simple" blockage in the intestines due to adhesions resulting from previous surgery.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The operation was performed at the Specialist Hospital in Jeddah.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Prince Saud went to Los Angeles after he left the hospital on 6 September 2012. The ministry announced that he would stay there for a while.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On 25 January 2015, Prince Saud had a successful spine surgery in the U.S.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In March 2015, he was photographed using a walking frame.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> With age, Saud faced many health problems, suffering from chronic back pain and having had various surgeries.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Prince Saud died on 9 July 2015 at the age of 75 in Los Angeles.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> His funeral prayer was held in Grand Mosque in Mecca on 12 July 2015, and he was buried in Al Adl cemetery.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Honour
National honours
- Template:Flag: First Class of the Order of King Abdulaziz
Foreign honour
- Template:Flag : Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold (Belgium)
- Template:Flag : Grand Cordon of the Order of Merit (Egypt)
- Template:Flag : Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Renaissance
- Template:Flag : Grand Cordon of the Order of Mubarak the Great
- Template:Flag : Honorary Commander of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (P.M.N.) (24 January 1982).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flag : Grand Cordon of the Order of Ouissam Alaouite
- Template:Flag : Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau
- Template:Flag :
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (31 May 1977).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit (15 June 1981).<ref>Boletín Oficial del Esfado</ref>
Ancestry
References
External links
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- Pages with broken file links
- 20th-century Saudi Arabian businesspeople
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- 1940 births
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- Burials at al-Adl cemetery
- Foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia
- Hun School of Princeton alumni
- People named in the Panama Papers
- Princeton University alumni
- Saudi Arabian anti-communists
- Saudi Arabian Arab nationalists
- Saudi Arabian diplomats
- Saudi Arabian people of Turkish descent
- Saudi Arabian philanthropists
- Sons of Faisal of Saudi Arabia
- Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
- Order of Civil Merit members