Saudi heir 'has US medical tests'

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Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz, the heir to the Saudi throne, has flown to New York for medical tests, according to the Saudi press agency.

There are no details about the prince's condition.

Prince Sultan, who is in his eighties, has spent the last six weeks recuperating in Morocco after having medical tests in the US last year.

One of King Abdullah's half-brothers, he has been the Saudi defence minister for more than 40 years.

His son Bandar was Saudi ambassador to the US until July 2005.

He had an operation to remove a cancerous growth from his stomach in 2004.