US President Barack Obama cutting short a scheduled trip to India and will travel to Riyadh on Tuesday to meet new King Salman and pay respects as well as offer condolence to Saudi Arabia Saturday following the death of King Abdullah, the White House said.
Since Abdullah took the throne in 2005, Saudi Arabia has been a prime Arab ally of Washington, and last year joined the coalition carrying out air strikes against the Islamic State jihadist group.
Other dignitaries arrived in Riyadh on Saturday to pay respects, including Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, on a rare visit to the regional rival. British Prime Minister David Cameron, Prince Charles and French President Francois Hollande were among other leaders expected to fly in to offer condolences.
World leaders have praised the king as a key mediator between Muslims and the West, but campaigners criticised his rights record and urged Salman to do more to protect freedom of speech and women’s rights. Gulf rulers, and leaders including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, were among those who attended Abdullah’s traditionally simple funeral at Riyadh’s Imam Turki bin Abdullah mosque on Friday.
Africa was also represented, with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn. President Ali Bongo Ondimba of Gabon and other leaders from the continent arrived on Saturday to pay respects.
Although ,on Friday the late king’s body had been buried at nearby Al-Od public cemetery in a grave marked only by a book-sized plain grey stone. Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas and Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak arrived later to deliver condolences, as did Iraqi President Fuad Masum.
Mourning ceremonies were planned for Saturday and Sunday evenings at another palace, official media said. – Valued ally – Obama paid tribute to Abdullah as a “valued” ally as the State Department indicated cooperation between Washington and Riyadh would continue.
Salman pledged to keep the conservative, oil-rich Muslim kingdom on a steady course and moved to cement his hold on power. In his first public statement as king, Salman, 79, vowed to “remain, with God’s strength, attached to the straight path that this state has walked since its establishment.
Credit: CNN/ Vanguard
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