DHAKA: Saudi Arabia's Prince Saud al-Faisal, formerly the world's longest-serving foreign minister who oversaw four decades of turbulent diplomacy for the oil-rich kingdom, has died.

A statement from the Royal Court said Prince Saud, who was born in 1940, died in the United States without giving the cause of death, reports news.yahoo.com

Funeral prayers will be held on Saturday night in the Muslim holy city of Mecca for Prince Saud, who was one of the highest profile members of the kingdom's ruling elite before stepping down in April for health reasons.

He oversaw Saudi Arabia's emergence as a major diplomatic player, facing successive regional crises and maintaining a focus on relations with the West.

"May God accept him in paradise," one of his nephews, Saud Mohammed al-Abdullah al-Faisal, wrote on Twitter.

Tributes poured in for the prince after news of his death emerged, with the Royal Court describing him as a "symbol of honesty and hard work".

US President Barack Obama said he was a "committed and accomplished diplomat" whose "legacy will be remembered around the world", while Secretary of State John Kerry said he would miss his friendship and "wise counsel".

Prince Saud was "a man of vast experience, personal warmth, great dignity and keen insights who served his country loyally and well," Kerry said in a statement, adding that he "will not be forgotten".

Arab League Chief Nabil al-Arabi expressed his condolences in a statement, as did Germany's embassy in Riyadh, calling Prince Saud a "respected statesman".

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said in a statement that the top diplomat had "worked tirelessly for peace and stability in the Middle East".

BDST: 1426 HRS, JULY 10, 2015
RS