Word: arabia
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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...almost in a schizophrenic state," said Wolf Mendl of the war studies faculty at King's College in London. Mendl noted that "like all Arab states, the Saudis don't have much time for the P.L.O., but they are absolutely committed to the Palestinian cause." Saudi Arabia has a significant Palestinian population of its own. Many Palestinians hold influential positions in the government...
...Saudis have also been maneuvering behind the scenes to achieve a settlement to the Iran-Iraq war. Quiet negotiations between Iran and Saudi Arabia have taken place in Damascus, with the Syrians acting as intermediaries. The Saudis, who supported Iraqi Strongman Saddam Hussein's invasion of Iran's oil-rich Khuzistan province nearly two years ago, have offered to pay Iran billions of dollars in war reparations...
...King is probably as skilled and experienced a leader as Saudi Arabia could have today. His will not be an easy reign: the potential for a collision between the forces of development and those of tradition is as acute as ever, as are the possibilities for further regional conflicts. Fahd's biggest challenge will be to maintain the course of political moderation set by his predecessors, a challenge in which the Saudi rulers' traditional virtues of consensus, caution and consistency should greatly assist him. -By Marguerite Johnson. Reported by Raji Samghabadi/New York and William Stewart/Beirut
...House of Saud, the ruling dynasty established by the great warrior Ibn Saud Saudi he conquered the vast desert territory that is now Saudi Arabia in 1932, is in effect a one-family government that operates by consensus. The kingdom has no constitution, so royal succession is decided by a council of elders within some ruling family. In 1975, when King Faisal was assassinated, the some times hot-headed Prince Mohammed was passed over by mutual agreement in favor of Khalid. But the ruling hierarchy has usually recognized as King the oldest survivor of the 45 legitimate sons born...
...Prince Ahmed, deputy governor of Mecca. By strictly respecting the line of succession, the elders avoided the dangers of a family breach and ensured a judicious balance of personalities j ^ ^ and powers at the top of the government. In effect, diplomats say, the Khalid-Fahd "duarchy" in Saudi Arabia has been replaced by a Fahd-Abdullah team...