RIYADH, 7 August 2005 — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan yesterday received more world leaders including Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, Prince Hakon, heir to the throne of Norway, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.
The Kingdom’s new king and crown prince also met with former Lebanese President Amin Gemayel, Guinean Prime Minister Cellou Diallo, Luxembourg’s Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn and Dutch Foreign Minister Bernard Rudolf Bot.
The foreign dignitaries expressed their heartfelt condolences on the death of King Fahd, on behalf of their governments and people, the Saudi Press Agency said, adding that King Abdullah and Prince Sultan thanked the foreign delegates for their gesture.
King Fahd, who ruled Saudi Arabia for 23 years, died last Monday following a prolonged illness. King Abdullah was quickly declared the new sovereign in a smooth transition of power as the royal family endorsed his leadership.
Millions of Saudis have so far pledged allegiance to the new king and crown prince in an unprecedented show of support. Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh and imam of the Grand Mosque Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais have urged Saudis as well as all Muslims to rally behind the new leadership.
Several world leaders including French President Jacques Chirac, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and US Vice President Dick Cheney have so far visited the Kingdom to pay last respects to King Fahd, who was a world leader and steered the Kingdom through two Gulf wars.
Also yesterday, King Abdullah received more messages of condolence from a large number of citizens on King Fahd’s death.
Interior Minister Prince Naif yesterday emphasized the pledge of allegiance of Saudi security forces to the country’s new leadership, King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan.
Addressing top security commanders and officers who came to his office in Riyadh to convey their condolences on the death of King Fahd, Prince Naif said the new leadership has full confidence in the country’s security forces.
“You have given full allegiance to your leadership and your pledge of allegiance continues. You can always be proud of the fact that you work to defend the country from all evil forces and have made sacrifices for that,” he told the officers.
Prince Naif commended King Fahd’s efforts in the service of the country and the Islamic nation. “He took over the leadership at a time when the nation was going through difficult times and successfully steered the country through bitter crises.”
The meeting was attended by Deputy Interior Minister Prince Ahmed, Assistant Interior Minister for Security Affairs Prince Muhammad ibn Naif, and Gen. Mahmoud Bakhsh, director general of investigations and chairman of senior officers committee.
