Foreign leaders pay respects to King Khalid

Press, 16 June 1982, Page 9

Foreign leaders pay respects to King Khalid

NZPA Saudi Arabia Foreign dignitaries have streamed into Saudi Arabia to offer their condolences on the death of King Khalid, and thousands' of people across the oil-rich desert kingdom have sworn loyalty to his successor and half-brother, King Fahd. “i The day after King Khalid suffered a fatal heart attack, the British Foreign Minister (Mr Francis Pym) and Prince Philip- met the new King at the Al Maather Palace. American sources said the Vice-President (Mr George Bush) was expected late last evening. Saudi Arabia, the largest exporter of oil in the world, is one of the United States’ closest allies in the Arab world. King Khalid, who had ruled Saudi Arabia for seven years, was buried in a modest, unmarked grave in the royal plot in Riyadh, less than seven hours after his death on Sunday.Only a few Middle East leaders were able to attend the funeral at such short notice. Many leaders from neighbouring Arab nations — including President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt — have been arriving steadily since

then. Imelda Marcos, wife of the Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos, arrived on Monday night, and delegations ’from France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Sweden, Japan and Pakistan arranged their visits yesterday. In a televised ceremony at the Riyadh Governor’s Palace a day after Khalid’s death. King Fahd and his half-brother, Crown Prince Abdullah, received condolences and vows of allegiance. In the palaces of 14 emirs, or provincial governors, across the country, similar ceremonies were held for citizens who could not travel to Riyadh. Most major companies and markets in Saudi Arabia were closed on Monday in observance of Khalid’s death. Foreign embassies were closed to visitors, and flags flew at half-staff. Fahd, who had been in charge of day-to-day decisions during the reign of his ailing brother, immediately pledged to carry on with current government policy. Egypt’s President flew to Riyadh on Monday. It was his first trip to any of the nations who joined in the

Arab league boycott of Egypt over the 1979 peace with Israel. On his return to Cairo. President Mubarak called his meeting with Fahd cordial, said the official Egyptian Middle East News Agency. “King Fahd and I have been very close friends since he was Crown Prince, and our meeting was cordial despite the boycott period. “Crown Prince Abdullah and I are also good friends, and friendship is stronger than anything else,” said Mubarak. President Mubarak also met Oman’s visiting Sultan Qaboos bin Said for half an hour before he left Saudi Arabia. The- Egyptian President said he exchanged views with Qaboos on the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, the agency said. Oman, Sudan and Somalia were the only Arab nations not to join the Arab League boycott. In the eight months since President Mubarak succeeded assassinated President Anwar Sadat,, relations with Saudi Arabia have improved and there have been signs of rapprochement with other Arab nations.