Jordan Times
Tuesday, August 2, 2005
Amman mourns Mideast mediator
Agencies
His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday expressed his deep sorrow and grief over the
loss of Saudi Arabia's King Fahd, who was hailed as a "Middle East mediator" in
Europe, while the Muslim world mourned the loss of a tireless defender of Arab
causes.
The Monarch offered his condolences in a phone call to King Abdullah Ben Abdul
Aziz and expressed faith in his wisdom, courage and leadership.
He also sent a cable of condolences to the Saudi king.
"The Arab and Muslim world lost an exceptional leader who did not spare any
effort in order to unify Arab and Muslim ranks and defend their identity," King
Abdullah said in the cable.
The Royal Court declared a 40-day mourning as of yesterday.
Following an extraordinary session of Cabinet yesterday, the government declared
three days of mourning in Jordan, and a one-day official suspension of work
today in memory of the late king.
In its statement, the government expressed its deep sorrow over the death of
King Fahd.
"He engaged himself for dialogue between the Islamic world and the West with
intelligence, far-sightedness and great personal commitment," German Chancellor
Gerhard Schroeder said in a telegram to King Fahd's successor Crown Prince
Abdullah.
"His balanced policies and mediation in the Middle East brought him and the
kingdom of Saudi Arabia respect and recognition around the world."
Medical sources said King Fahd, believed to be aged 84, died in hospital at dawn
on Monday, 23 years after ascending the throne.
Tributes and condolences poured in from around the globe, with days and weeks of
national mourning declared across the Middle East for the man who ruled the
world's top oil exporter during the most turbulent period in its history.
For French President Jacques Chirac the Saudi monarch was "the guarantor of his
country's cohesion and the defender of regional stability" in perilous times.
While King Fahd may be remembered most for the close relationship Riyadh forged
with the United States, he was also active in foreign policy within the region,
promoting peace plans for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who called for an Arab summit in Sharm El
Sheikh to discuss the threat of regional terrorism after deadly bombings last
month in the Egyptian resort, ordered three days of mourning nationwide.
"The kingdom has lost an honourable son and one of its dearest leaders. ...
History will remember the great and numerous achievements he accomplished for
the sake of the holy sites, his people and his nation," Mubarak added.
However, perhaps King Fahd's greatest achievement was bringing Lebanese MPs to
the western Saudi mountain resort of Taef in 1989 to hammer out an accord to end
15 years of civil war.
In Beirut, the government ordered three days of mourning and the closure of
public buildings on Tuesday to "honour the memory of a great man who always gave
support to Lebanon."
Lebanese President Emile Lahoud expressed his profound grief and said King
Fahd's death was a "great loss for the Arab and Muslim world."
Blair praised King Fahd, a crucial Middle-East ally of the US and Britain, for
the development of political and commercial links. "Under his guidance we have
developed extremely close political, commercial and defence links. They will
always be seen as his legacy," Blair said in a statement.
No official reaction had yet been issued by the United States, which maintained
a close relationship with the kingdom despite political tensions after the
September 11, 2001, plane attacks on New York in which 15 of the 19 hijackers
were Saudis.
US President George W. Bush invited Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah to his Texas
ranch in April 2002 and April 2005, an honour offered to only a handful of other
world leaders.
While Russian President Vladimir Putin said King Fahd was an "authoritative
leader" under whose leadership "Saudi Arabia achieved substantial success and
significant strengthening of its international position."
Spain joined Middle Eastern nations in declaring a day of mourning with the
government referring in its condolence message to the "deep historical links"
between the two countries.
The late monarch's efforts for the Muslim world were acknowledged by Thailand's
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra who referred to his "great services to the
Islamic world."
King Fahd was described as a "good friend" to South Africa by president Thabo
Mbeki.