Saudi envoy to US resigns

WASHINGTON—Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Washington, Prince Turki al-Faisal, has abruptly resigned and flown out of the United States after only 15 months on the job, according to a report.
Prince Turki told staff on Monday that he would leave the crucial diplomatic post because he wanted to spend more time with his family, The Washington Post reported Tuesday, quoting unnamed US officials and Arab sources. In Riyadh, a source close to the prince said he had resigned but that it was not clear when the move would be officially published.
The paper noted that Prince Turki had been increasingly rumored as a possible replacement for his brother, Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal, who it said was in fragile health and had recently been in Los Angeles for surgery. There was no immediate response to the reports from the Saudi embassy in Washington. Prince Turki’s departure would come at a time of increased tension in relations between key allies the United States and Saudi Arabia over Iraq’s descent into chaos.—Agencies