Saudi defence minister Salman is new crown prince

Saudi Arabias King Abdullah has appointed Defence Minister Prince Salman as crown prince and heir apparent.

The appointment was announced one day after the burial of Crown Prince and Interior Minister Nayef,who died on Saturday,and means King Abdullahs cautious reforms are likely to be continued. Based on the public interest,we have chosen His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz to be Crown Prince and ordered his appointment as deputy prime minister and defence minister, a royal decree said.

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Crown Prince Salman,who is 76-years-old,becomes Abdullah’s third heir after the deaths of two elder brothers in the past eight months. Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz,a younger brother of Salman,was named as the new interior minister.