I congratulate King Abdullah and the Saudi people on the selection of Prince Nayif bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud as Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Crown Prince Nayif has served his nation with dedication and distinction for more than 35 years as Minister of Interior, and as Second Deputy Prime Minister since 2009. We in the United States know and respect him for his strong commitment to combating terrorism and supporting regional peace and security. The United States looks forward to continuing our close partnership with Crown Prince Nayif in his new capacity as we strengthen the deep and longstanding friendship between the United States and Saudi Arabia.