World leaders pay respects on Saudi day of mourning

RIYADH — More foreign leaders flocked to Saudi Arabia paying their respects to King Salman Sunday, as the normally gridlocked streets of Riyadh turned quiet on a day of mourning for his predecessor King Abdullah.

Singapore's Home Affairs Minister Teo Chee Hean arrived, as did Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, and Libya's internationally-recognised Prime Minister Abdullah Al Thani.

From across the Arab and Muslim worlds, from Europe, Asia, and America, presidents, prime ministers and sheikhs have flown in to express condolences.

It is a recognition of the Islamic kingdom'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, 79, acceded to the throne on Friday after King Abdullah's death at the age of about 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 United States ally and last year joined the US-led coalition carrying out air strikes against the Islamic State jihadist group.

Obama "called King Salman Bin Abdulaziz from Air Force One today to personally express his sympathies", the White House said on Saturday.

King Salman, a half-brother of King Abdullah who reigned for almost a decade, declared 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.

Low-key mourning 

Dignitaries greeted King Salman and his heir Crown Prince Moqren, 69, on Saturday night at Al Yamamah Palace, the royal court.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif of Shiite-dominated Iran was among the guests, making a rare visit as Tehran tries to improve relations with its Sunni regional rival.

Both Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko joined the well-wishers, even as pro-Kremlin rebels announced a major new offensive on a strategic government-held Ukrainian port.

Other guests included French President Francois Hollande, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Indonesian Vice-President Jusuf Kalla and European royalty. Prince Charles and Prime Minister David Cameron came from Britain.

Outside, a helicopter patrolled 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 shops open and almost no indication a new era had begun, except for billboards expressing condolences for King Abdullah's death.

A low-key way of mourning and King Abdullah's burial in an unmarked grave reflect the kingdom's adherence to the austere teachings of 18th century Muslim scholar Mohammed bin Abdul Wahhab.

"What is not encouraged in Sharia is to be hysterical" in grief, said Khalid Al Dakhil, an independent political analyst and expert on Wahhabism.

He was referring to Islamic Sharia law that governs religious and secular duties in the kingdom.

Global tributes 

Millions of Saudis would likely visit local government headquarters to offer condolences and allegiance, Dakhil said, but others would pledge "just in their hearts".

That is exactly what one woman living in eastern Saudi Arabia did.

"Of course I pledged allegiance but with my heart like my husband said I should," said the woman, the wife of an Imam in the conservative kingdom. She declined to be named.

An unemployed graduate, who gave his name only as Waleed, said:

"If I pledge or not, will it make a difference?"

He joked that if he finds work he will pledge "maybe next year".

Youth unemployment was 28 per cent in the first half of last year, according to official data cited by Jadwa Investment.

World leaders have praised King Abdullah as a key mediator between Muslims and the West, but activists criticised his human rights record and urged King Salman to do more to protect free speech and freedoms for women.

"Saudi Arabia is a partner, both economic and political," Hollande said before his arrival in Riyadh with Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.

King Salman pledged to keep the kingdom on a steady course and acted to cement his hold on power with key appointments.

Saudi Arabia has been the force behind a refusal by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to slash crude output in support of prices, which have fallen by more than 50 per cent since June.

King Salman is widely expected to follow King Abdullah's foreign and energy policies as well as moderate reforms.