Saudi GazetteRIYADH — The decision by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosque King Abdullah to appoint Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, the defense minister, as the new Crown Prince and Deputy Premier was welcomed by foreign diplomats based in Riyadh. Prince was appointed the Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister with the additional responsibility of the Defense Ministry following the death of Prince Naif. The ambassadors of Italy, Korea, Canada, Mexico and Argentina congratulated King Abdullah for his wise decision and Prince Salman on his new appointment. Italian Ambassador Valentino Simonetti said the appointment of Prince Salman was largely expected. "This was because of his towering personality, his seniority and extensive experience. He assumed high-level responsibilities even before his appointment as the Minister of Defense, " he said. "Thus the appointment was logical and justified. In light of this, anyone can be sure that Prince Salman will carry out his new responsibilities with dedication to the benefit of the Kingdom and world peace," he added. The ambassador hoped that Prince Salman would help further develop the excellent relations between the Kingdom and Italy that goes back to almost 80 years to the year of Kingdom's unification in 1932. "Some time in September or October this year, we will celebrate the 80th anniversary of these relations," Simonetti said. Canadian Ambassador Thomas MacDonald said his country welcomed the appointment. "Prince Salman's experience as Governor of Riyadh, and more recently as Defense Minister, will be of considerable value not only for the Kingdom, but also the region and the world," he pointed out. "Prince Salman is known for his diplomatic and conciliatory approach, which makes him an exceptional leader to help navigate the challenges of our time. He will provide continuity in the steady leadership of the late Crown Prince Naif. Canada looks forward to further developing our bilateral relationship under the stewardship of King Abdullah and Crown Prince Salman," MacDonald added. Ambassador Kim Jong Yong of Korea said Prince Salman is a very strong personality who combined charisma with leadership qualities. According to Mexican Ambassador Arturo Trejo, Prince Salman is a very strong personality with vast knowledge in international affairs. “Shortly after my arrival to Riyadh I paid a courtesy visit to him, in his capacity of Governor of Riyadh province, and he impressed me with his wide awareness about international affairs and his knowledge about Mexico. We had an interesting conversation and, in the name of the Government of Mexico I extended him an invitation to visit my country. Due to his busy schedule he hasn't been able to make the visit yet, but I hope he will do it in his capacity as the Crown Prince," Trejo said. Ambassador Jaime Sergio Cerda of Argentina said: "I am sure that with the rich and solid experience in state matters of the new Crown Prince Salman, our countries will continue the cooperation and exchanges in many fields. "These fields will include agriculture, education, nuclear energy and culture. This is because the excellent bilateral relations between the Argentine Republic and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia do not depend just on politics and trade only, but also on the character and expertise of top level leaders of the two countries," he added.
