Saudis to swear allegiance to new crown prince

AFP , Saturday 29 Oct 2011

Saudis are invited Saturday to swear allegiance to their new crown prince, Nayef bin Abdul Aziz, who succeeded his brother Prince Sultan

The Saudi palace, in a statement carried by state news agency SPA, said Prince Nayef would in keeping with Saudi tradition receive his subjects at a palace in Riyadh in the afternoon.

Saudis across the country are also being called upon to swear allegiance to their new crown prince in front of provincial governors, posts held by members of the ruling Al-Saud family, it said.

Nayef -- who served as interior minister for nearly four decades and led a crackdown on Al-Qaeda in the kingdom -- was named in a royal decree on Thursday to succeed Prince Sultan, two days after he was buried in Riyadh.

The decree called on King Abdullah's inner circle to recognise Nayef's new status.

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