The World - News from April 1, 1988

King Fahd of Saudi Arabia has asked the United States to replace its ambassador after the envoy delivered an official U.S. complaint over the Saudi purchase of Chinese missiles, informed sources said in Washington. State Department officials confirmed that Hume A. Horan, who took the post only last September, is “not going back” to Riyadh but insisted that he has not been declared persona non grata. Middle East specialists said that if the report is true, it would mark the first time an American ambassador has been withdrawn at the Saudis’ request since the countries established relations in 1933.