[Mb-civic] Saudi Arabia's King Fahd Dies in Riyadh - Washington Post

[William Swiggard]

<>Saudi Arabia's King Fahd Dies in Riyadh
Long-Term De Facto Ruler Crown Prince Abdullah Has Succeeded His 
Half-Brother

By Anthony Shadid and Fred Barbash
Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, August 1, 2005; 8:54 AM

DAMASCUS, Aug. 1 -- King Fahd ibn Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia died Monday 
and was quickly succeeded by his half-brother Crown Prince Abdullah, who 
has run the kingdom since Fahd suffered a stroke in 1995.

Saudi officials moved swiftly to assure the world that the strategic 
oil-rich nation would maintain continuity in both economic and political 
policies.

Crude oil prices nevertheless soared to $61 a barrel on the news.

An extraordinary Arab summit due be held Wednesday in the Egyptian 
resort of Sharm al-Sheikh has been postponed because of King Fahd's 
death. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak scheduled the meeting following 
the terrorist attacks that struck Sharm el-Sheik. He also said the 
summit would deal with the Palestinian-Israeli crisis and Iraq.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/01/AR2005080100138.html?referrer=email

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