"we are going through a transformation": New Saudi Foreign Minister

Saudi Arabia's new foreign minister struck a note of defiance Friday in the face of international outrage over critic Jamal Khashoggi's murder, rejecting the kingdom was in crisis and his predecessor had been demoted.

Ibrahim al-Assaf, a former veteran finance minister, replaced Adel al-Jubeir as foreign minister in a major government shake-up on Thursday ordered by King Salman.

Speaking to AFP in his first interview since his appointment, Assaf insisted the restructuring was motivated not by the Khashoggi affair, but the need to make the government machinery more efficient.

"The issue of Jamal Khashoggi... really saddened us, all of us," Assaf told AFP at his residence in Riyadh.

"But all in all, we are not going through a crisis, we are going through a transformation," he added.

When asked whether his biggest foreign policy challenge was to repair the kingdom reputation, Assaf replied: "I wouldn't say 'repair' because the relationship between my country and a vast majority of countries in the world is in excellent shape."

In Thursday's reshuffle, Jubeir was appointed minister of state for foreign affairs, fuelling speculation that he had been demoted. "This is far from the truth," Assaf said, adding that Jubeir had performed with distinction.

Jubeir's new role, he insisted, was tantamount to a division of labour and not a demotion, in a bid to accelerate the task of remaking a ministry known to be overly bureaucratic.

"Adel represented saudi Arabia and will continue to represent saudi Arabia... around the world," Assaf said.

"We complement each other."

Assaf said his appointment as the top diplomat would help bring his financial experience to foreign affairs amid a current "dip" in the economy.

"Economic relationships now dominate foreign" affairs, Assaf said.

"I say with all modesty that my experience will help."