New monarch served as royal family's 'referee'

Saudi Arabia's new king, Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, is a veteran of the country's top leadership, versed in diplomacy from nearly 50 years as governor of the capital Riyadh and known as a mediator of disputes within the sprawling royal family.

Salman, 79, had increasingly taken on the king's duties over the past year as his ailing predecessor and half-brother, Abdullah, became more incapacitated. Abdullah died before dawn on Friday, aged 90.

Salman had served as defense minister since 2011 and so was head of the military as Saudi Arabia joined the United States and other Arab countries in launching airstrikes in Syria in 2014 against the Islamic State, the Sunni militant group the kingdom began to see as a threat to its own stability.

Salman's ascension hands the throne to yet another aging son of Saudi Arabia's founder, King Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, had 45 recorded sons from multiple wives.

Salman's health is a concern. He has suffered at least one stroke, leaving him with limited movement of his left arm.

The Saudi throne has passed between Al Saud's sons for decades. Prince Muqrin, the youngest of the sons at 69, was named crown prince in the royal court statement that announced Salman as king.

Each succession has brought the kingdom closer to a time when the next generation - Al Saud's grandsons - will have to take over. Although the family has successfully managed to close ranks through the years, a generational change would raise the specter of a power struggle by placing the throne in the hands of one branch at the expense of the others.

Salman appears to have played a frequent role in ensuring family unity. A 2007 US embassy memo said he "is often the referee in family disputes". It pointed to an incident after Abdullah formalized the Allegiance Council, a body of top royals tasked with voting on succession issues based on merit and not just age. Salman's eldest living brother, Abdul-Rahman, was outspoken in his criticism of the arrangement, but Salman told his brother to "shut up and get back to work", according to the memo.

Salman is also known to have extensive contacts among the country's tribes and his influence is further extended through a network of family businesses, including a stake in the Pan-Arab newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat.

Salman became Riyadh governor in 1963 at a relatively young age. During the next 48 years he oversaw its transformation from an isolated desert town into a crowded city of skyscrapers, universities and Western fast-food chains. He also saw it struggle to keep up with demand for affordable housing and sufficient public transport for its 4 million residents. The post made him well known internationally, hosting VIPs and international envoys and helping to secure foreign investment.

Salman's sons include Prince Abdulaziz, the deputy oil minister; Prince Faisal, the governor of Medina; and Prince Sultan, the first Arab astronaut and current head of the tourism authority.

(China Daily 01/24/2015 page11)