Statement by the President on
the Death of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz
It is with deep respect that I express my
personal condolences and the sympathies of the American people to the family of
King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz and to the people of Saudi Arabia.
King Abdullah’s life spanned from before the
birth of modern Saudi Arabia through its emergence as a critical force within
the global economy and a leader among Arab and Islamic nations. He took bold
steps in advancing the Arab Peace Initiative, an endeavor that will outlive him
as an enduring contribution to the search for peace in the region. At home,
King Abdullah's vision was dedicated to the education of his people and to
greater engagement with the world.
As our countries worked together to confront many challenges, I
always valued King Abdullah’s perspective and appreciated our genuine and warm
friendship. As a leader, he was always candid and had the courage of his
convictions. One of those convictions was his steadfast and passionate belief
in the importance of the U.S.-Saudi relationship as a force for stability and
security in the Middle East and beyond. The closeness and strength of the
partnership between our two countries is part of King Abdullah’s legacy.
May God grant him peace.
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Reuters also reported that Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah died early on Friday and his brother Salman became king, the royal court in the world's top oil exporter and birthplace of Islam said in a statement carried by state television.
King Salman has named his half-brother Muqrin as his crown prince and heir.
"His Highness Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and all members of the family and the nation mourn the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, who passed away at exactly 1 a.m. this morning," said the statement.
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Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (1 August 1924 – 23 January 2015) was the King of Saudi Arabia and Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques from 2005 to 2015.
He ascended to the throne on 1 August 2005 upon the death of his half-brother, King Fahd.
King Abdullah, like Fahd, was one of the many sons of Ibn Saud, the founder of modern Saudi Arabia. Abdullah held important political posts throughout most of his adult life.
In 1961 he became mayor of Mecca, his first public office.
And, in 1962, he was appointed commander of the Saudi Arabian National Guard, a post he was still holding when he became king.
He also served as deputy defense minister and was named crown prince when Fahd took the throne in 1982. After King Fahd suffered a serious stroke in 1995, King Abdullah became the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia until ascending the throne a decade later.
During his reign he maintained close relations with United States and Britain and bought billions of dollars worth of defense equipment from both states.
He also gave women the right to vote and to compete in the Olympics. Furthermore, King Abdullah maintained the status quo during the waves of protest in the kingdom during the Arab Spring.
In November 2013, a BBC report claimed that Saudi Arabia could obtain nuclear weapons at will from Pakistan due to a longstanding relationship.
The King outlived two of his crown princes. Conservative Interior Minister Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud was named heir to the throne on the death of Sultan bin Abdulaziz in October 2011, but Nayef himself died in June 2012.
King Abdullah then named the 76-year-old defense minister, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, as crown prince.
Some reports show that King Abdulah is the third wealthiest head of state in the world and have more than 35 children. He died on 23 January 2015, aged 90, three weeks after being hospitalized for pneumonia. World leaders have paid tribute to Saudi Arabia's late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz at afuneral in a cavernous mosque in the capital Riyadh.
King Abdullah was laid to rest in an unmarked grave in a modest cemetery in Riyadh. It's awll in keeping with the traditions of Wahhabism, a strict branch of Sunni Islam practiced in Saudi Arabia. Wall Street Journal Live speaks more detail via Youtube.
King Salman welcomed the news that the President and the First Lady will travel to Riyadh on Tuesday, January 27th, 2015 to meet with President Obama and other Saudi officials to offer condolences on behalf of the American people.
President Obama expresses that U.S.-Saudi relationship as a force for stability and
security in the Middle East and beyond. The closeness and strength of the
partnership between our two countries is part of King Abdullah’s legacy.
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