EX-KING SAUD AND PRESIDENT AL-SALLAL IN CONFERENCE WITH YEMENI OFFICIALS AND ARMY CHIEFS; AL-SALLAL AND EX-KING SAUD SPEAKING.




Initials JBC/VS/MGT/LGH



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Background: EX-KING SAUD OF SAUDI ARABIA HAS BEEN HAVING TALKS IN SANAA, WITH PRESIDENTIAL AL-SALLAL OF THE YEMEN ON HIS OWN FUTURE AND THAT OF THE YEMEN AND SAUDI ARABIA. AFTER THE TALKS, AND AT THE END OF HIS THREE-DAY VISIT, KING SAUD RETURNED ON TUESDAY TO CAIRO.

ACCORDING TO THE MIDDLE EAST NEWS AGENCY, EX-KING SAUD WAS ACCOMPANIED ON HIS TRIP BY THE UNITED ARAB REPUBLIC'S FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT, MARSHAL ABDEL HAKIM AMER, AND BY HIS TWO SONS. THE TALKS WITH PRESIDENT AL-SALLAL AND HIS LEADERS TOOK PLACE IN THE ARMY HEADQUARTERS IN SANA'A.

THE EX-KING WAS DEPOSED BY HIS HALF-BROTHER, FEISAL, IN 1964. ACCORDING TO REUTER, WHO QUOTED A RADIO BULLETIN, FROM SANA'S, HE TOLD THE YEMENI LEADERS THAT HE WOULD NOT RELINQUISH HIS CLAIM TO THE THRONE, AND WOULD PERSIST IN HIS STAND "UNTIL DEATH".

HIS VISIT TO THE YEMEN HAS BEEN SEEN AS AN EGYPTIAN ATTEMPT TO RALLY POPULAR SUPPORT BEHIND THE REPUBLICAN REGIME OF PRESIDENT AL-SALLAL, WHICH HAS THE SUPPORT OF CAIRO.