Riyadh: The normally gridlocked streets of the Saudi capital were quiet on Sunday after King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz declared a day of mourning for his predecessor Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, and more foreign leaders made their way to the kingdom.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was travelling to offer condolences to Salman, who acceded to the throne on Friday after Abdullah’s death at the age of 90.
US President Barack Obama announced he would cut short a visit to India to travel to the kingdom on Tuesday.
Saudi Arabia has long been a key US ally and last year joined the US-led coalition carrying out air strikes against Daesh.
Obama “called King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz from Air Force One today to personally express his sympathies”, the White House said on Saturday.
From across the Arab and Muslim worlds, from Europe, Asia, and America, presidents, prime ministers and Shaikhs have flown in to pay their respects. It is a recognition of Saudi Arabia’s power as the world’s leading oil exporter, a political heavyweight in a region threatened by extremist violence, and as home to Islam’s holiest sites.
Salman, a half-brother of Abdullah who reigned for almost a decade, declared on Sunday a nationwide holiday “to provide comfort and facilitation to all citizens in offering condolences” and allegiance to the new monarch, the official Saudi Press Agency said.
Allegiance ceremonies began on Friday night at a palace in a historic quarter of Riyadh.
An AFP reporter saw hundreds of people lined up outside waiting to enter.
They rubbed cheeks and kissed the hands of Salman, 79, and his heir Crown Prince Muqrin, 69.
On Saturday, ceremonies moved to the Al Yamamah Palace, the royal court, where foreign dignitaries greeted Salman and Muqrin.
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif of Iran was among the guests, making a rare visit as Tehran tries to improve relations with its regional rival.
Both Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko were among the well-wishers, even as pro-Kremlin rebels announced a major new offensive on a strategic government-held Ukrainian port.
Poroshenko had to interrupt his attendance to chair an emergency meeting on the violence.
Other guests included French President Francois Hollande, Afghan President Ashraf Gani, Indonesian Vice-President Jusuf Kalla, European royalty and Jordan’s King Abdullah. Prince Charles and Prime Minister David Cameron came from Britain.
Outside, a helicopter patrolled overhead and four lanes of cars - everything from luxury Bentleys to everyday models - inched towards the palace grounds carrying Saudi well-wishers past guards with pistols strapped to their thighs.
Away from the palace and nearby roadblocks, life continued with almost no indication that a new era had begun, except for billboards expressing condolences for Abdullah’s death.
Even before he became king in 2005, Abdullah had been a force for a decade after King Fahd suffered a stroke.
World leaders have praised Abdullah as a key mediator between Muslims and the West.
“Saudi Arabia is a partner, both economic and political,” Hollande said before his arrival in Riyadh with Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.
Salman, 79, pledged to keep the conservative kingdom on a steady course and acted to cement his hold on power.
Clearing uncertainty over the transition to the next generation, he named his nephew, Interior Minister Prince Mohammad Bin Nayef, 55, as second in-line to the throne behind Muqrin.
Salman also appointed as defence minister one of his own sons, Prince Mohammad.
Saudi Arabia has been the driving force behind a refusal by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) to slash crude output to support prices, which have fallen by more than 50 per cent since June.
Maduro, the Venezuelan leader on his way to offer condolences, was in Riyadh just two weeks ago to discuss the price slump, which has added to his country’s economic woes.
Salman is widely expected to follow Abdullah’s foreign and energy policies as well as moderate reforms.
Abdullah pushed through cautious changes, challenging conservatives with such decisions as including women in the advisory Shura Council. He oversaw accession to the World Trade Organisation, and built new cities, universities and railways.
