RIYADH: 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 said in an official statement.

King Salman named his half-brother Muqrin as his crown prince and heir, rapidly moving to forestall any fears of a succession crisis.

“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 1am this morning (3am in Pakistan),” said the statement carried by state television.

King Abdullah, born in 1924, had ruled Saudi Arabia as king since 2005, but had run the country as de facto regent for a decade before that after his predecessor King Fahd suffered a debilitating stroke.

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”.

He called for “unity and solidarity” among Muslims and vowed to work in “the defence of the causes of our nation”.

Moving to clear uncertainty over the to the next generation, he named his nephew, Interior Minister Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, 55, as second in line to the throne behind Crown Prince Moqren, 69.

That helps to solidify control by his Sudayri branch of the royal family.

Salman also appointed one of his own sons, Prince Mohammed, as defence minister.

Gulf rulers and other leaders, including Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan joined Salman bin Abdulaziz for a simple funeral at Riyadh’s Imam Turki bin Abdullah mosque.

King Abdullah’s body, wrapped in a cream-coloured shroud, was borne on a simple litter by members of the royal family wearing traditional red-and-white checked headgear.

The body was quickly moved to nearby Al Aud public cemetery and buried in an unmarked grave, in keeping with tradition.

Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas and Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak arrived later to deliver condolences.

In the evening hundreds of Saudis queued to enter a royal palace where they rubbed cheeks and kissed the hands of their new leaders, in a symbolic pledge of allegiance.

The monarch’s death comes at a moment when Saudi Arabia faces unprecedented turmoil on its borders.

New generation enters corridor of power

The rise of Islamic State in Syria and Iraq has brought to the country’s frontiers a militant group that vows to bring down the Al Saud dynasty.

In Yemen, the Iran-allied Shia Houthis have all but seized power and plunged the country to the brink of total chaos, opening space for Al Qaeda, which waged an insurgency in Saudi Arabia from 2003 to 2006 and nearly killed a top prince in 2009.

The problems in all those countries are being played out against an overarching backdrop of bitter rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran and bumps in Riyadh’s key relationship with the United States.

Meanwhile, the oil price has more than halved since June, leaving Saudi Arabia likely to face its first budget deficit since 2009 and navigating difficulties with other OPEC members that disagree with its strategy not to defend prices.

A Saudi businessman in Jeddah told journalists: “People are very sad because they loved him very much. He was a father figure, sincere, and truly a king. He was always trying to be the arbitrator. He kept his word and was known for his loyalty.”

SUCCESSION: King Abdullah played a guiding role in Saudi Arabia’s support for Egypt’s government after the military intervened in 2012, and drove his country’s support for Syria’s rebellion against President Bashar al Assad.

King Salman has been part of the ruling circle of princes for decades and is thought likely to continue the main thrusts of Saudi strategic policy, including maintaining the alliance with the United States and working towards energy market stability.

During his five decades as Riyadh governor he was reputedly adept at managing the delicate balance of clerical, tribal and princely interests that determine Saudi policy, while maintaining good relations with the West.

“I think he will continue with Abdullah’s reforms. He realises the importance of this. He’s not conservative in person, but he values the opinion of the conservative constituency of the country,” said Jamal Khashoggi, head of a news channel owned by a Saudi prince.

“King Abdullah was willing to challenge the conservatives, but not to crush them. Salman respected the status quo. He wanted reform, but was very much connected to the tribal mentality, the conservative nature of his constituency,” he added.

Crown Prince Muqrin was placed firmly in the line of succession by Abdullah a year ago after serving as the country’s intelligence chief and later an adviser to the king on foreign and security policy.

He promised to continue Abdullah’s reforms, but has also demonstrated a populist edge by demanding banks serve the interests of Saudi citizens more fairly.

In the long term, Saudi rulers have to manage the needs of a rapidly growing population plagued by structural unemployment, and an economy that remains overly dependent on oil revenue and undermined by lavish subsidies.

Saudi Arabia holds more than a fifth of the world’s crude oil reserves.

In a country where the big ministries are dominated by royals, successive kings have kept the oil portfolio reserved for commoners and insisted on maintaining substantial spare output capacity to help reduce market volatility.

TRIBUTES: World leaders praised the late monarch as a key mediator between Muslims and the West.

US President Barack Obama said he and Abdullah had enjoyed a “genuine and warm friendship”.

“As a leader, he was always candid and had the courage of his convictions,” the president added. “One of those convictions was his steadfast and passionate belief in the importance of the US-Saudi relationship as a force for stability and security in the Middle East and beyond.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed him as a “wise politician”.

Iran sent condolences to the Saudi nation and announced its foreign minister would represent the country at an official ceremony.

French President Francois Hollande said Abdullah’s vision of “a fair and durable peace in the Middle East remains truer than ever”.

Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper described the late king as “an ardent defender of peace”.

British Prime Minister David Cameron said the Saudi ruler would be remembered for “his commitment to peace and for strengthening understanding between faiths”.

Prince Charles of Wales is to travel to Riyadh as the Queen’s representative to pay his respects, the royal’s office said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Abdullah’s rule had been “fair and moderate”, praising him for aiding “dialogue between the Muslim world and the West”.

Several leaders cut short overseas trips to travel to Riyadh and pay their respects.

Jordan’s King Abdullah II left the World Economic Forum in Davos, organisers said, before declaring 40 days of mourning for the late Saudi king.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin praised Abdullah as an “exemplary leader...

with sound judgment”.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas declared three days of mourning, describing King Abdullah as a sage.

“With much sadness, we received the news of the death of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, a loss to the Arab and Islamic world,” Mahmud Abbas said in a statement.

Published in Dawn January 24th , 2015

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