August 26, 2005

IN SPEECHES ADDRESSED TO THE CITIZENS: KING ABDULLAH: THE RESPONSIBILITY AFTER THE DEATH OF KING FAHD IS A HEAVY BURDEN AND I PROMISE YOU TO TAKE THE HOLY QURAN AS A CONSTITUTION AND ISLAM AS A WAY OF LIFE. CROWN PRINCE SULTAN: THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA WILL GO AHEAD UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF KING ABDULLAH FOR FURTHER PROGRESS AND DEVELOPMENT IN LINE WITH THE TEACHINGS OF THE HOLY QURAN AND THE SUNNAH OF THE PROPHET PBUH. THE CROWN PRINCE HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANT ROLE PLAYED BY THE ARMED FORCES IN THE SERVICE OF THE COUNTRY, AND REITERATES THE KEENNESS OF THE SAUDI LEADERSHIP TO FURTHER DEVELOP THEM. PRINCE SALMAN: SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT THE KINGDOM IS FOLLOWING CONTINUOUS REFORMS. SAUDI PEOPLE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE KINGDOM PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES AND CROWN PRINCE SULTAN. LEADERS OF THE WORLD CONTINUE TO ARRIVE IN RIYADH TO OFFER THEIR CONDOLENCES. The Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz has expressed sorrow and grief over the death of the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz 'King Fahd died after dedicating his time in pious deeds as well as in the service of his country and the Arab and Muslim causes', said King Abdullah in his address to the citizens. 'In this sad moment we pray to Almighty Allah to reward him for the great services he had extended to his country and nation', he noted 'When I shoulder responsibility after the death of King Fahd I feel it is a heavy burden, and it is a great responsibility, so I pray to Almighty Allah to enable me to go ahead on the path of the Kingdom's Founder King Abdul Aziz Al-Saud and the path of his sons', said King Abdullah and added 'I promise you to take the Holy Quran as a constitution and Islam as a way of life'. 'I will dedicate my time for enhancing the pillars of justice and the service of all citizens without any discrimination', he said adding that 'I hope you will assist me in shouldering the responsibility, and provide me with your advices.' 'I pray to Almighty Allah to preserve the security of this country and to keep its people away from all evils', he added. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz , the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, has expressed sorrow and grief over the death of the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz. 'We have lost a leader who has dedicated his time for the service of his religion and nation. The world has lost a leader who has worked for enhancing the pillars of justice and peace', said Prince Sultan in his speech. Crown Prince Sultan expressed appreciation for heartfelt feelings spelt out by the Saudi people towards the deceased, and condoled the Arab and Muslim nations on the death of King Fahd. 'King Fahd was a father of the young and a brother of the adults, and he has successfully unified the hearts', he said, adding that he was a farsighted leader and a man of vision, reason, wisdom and bravery. 'King Fahd has worked for building his country and developing his people, and has exerted intensive efforts in the service of the Arab and Muslim causes'. 'King Fahd who named himself 'the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques' has implemented the greatest expansion project in the history of the two Holy Mosques. He has also developed the Holy Places and implemented the project of King Fahd Holy Quran Printing Complex.' 'King Fahd was aware of the greatness of the responsibility and challenges and he has determinately worked to meet the aspirations of his people, and in a record time he has accomplished remarkable achievements'. 'King Fahd has worked to close the ranks of the Arab and Muslim nations and to enhance the pillars of justice and peace in the region, and has made sacrifices in cooperation with his brothers for defending the legitimacy, values and principles on which this state was established by Late King Abdul Aziz'. 'We pray to Almighty Allah to reward our deceased for his great deeds in the service of Islam and Muslims'. Thanks to Almighty Allah, we have been compensated by the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, who has been King Fahd's honest assistant and a man who has devoted his time for his religion and country as well as his nation, he said, adding that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will go ahead under the leadership of King Abdullah for further progress and development in line with the teachings of the Holy Quran and the Sunnah (the Prophet's tradition). On the other hand Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister, Defense and Aviation Minister and Inspector General, received officers of the armed forces, led by General Salih Ibn Ali Al-Muhayya, the Chief of General Staff. They came to greet him and to pledge allegiance to the Kingdom's Leadership, led by the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz. In his extemporary speech, Crown Prince Sultan highlighted the excellent services extended by Late King Fahd to his nation. He highlighted the important role being played by the armed forces in the service of the country, and reiterated the keenness of the Saudi officials to further develop them. On his part, General Salih Al-Muhayya, speaking behalf of the officers and soldiers of the armed forces, pledged allegiance to the Leadership, led by the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, and Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister, Defense and Aviation Minister and Inspector General. The meeting was attended by Prince Abdul Rahman Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Defense and Aviation Minister, Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Interior Minister, and Prince Khalid Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Assistant Defense and Aviation Minister for Military Affairs. Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Riyadh region, said the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was established by its own sons, and it was never established by the help of a foreign power. Prince Salman, who was speaking at a press meeting, noted that the enthusiasm shown by the Saudi citizens for pledging allegiance to the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz embodies the existing close relations between the people and the leadership. Prince Salman pointed out that the Saudi leaders are capable of confronting challenges, and added 'we will determinately confront the challenges with the grace of Almighty Allah and the cooperation of the citizens'. Underlining the importance of going ahead on the path of reforms, he said the reforms process should be continuous'. As regards the problem of unemployment, Prince Salman said the problem of unemployment in the Kingdom, which includes millions of foreign workforce, could easily be solved and contained. 'It is an essential matter to find jobs for the Saudi youth, and moreover it is important to train the Saudi youth so as to enable them occupy suitable jobs at the governmental departments or at other sectors', Prince Salman noted. On the Saudi-American relations, Prince Salman said these relations are strategic relations because they are based on mutual interests. Citing relations between the Ulema (Muslim scholars) and the officials, Prince Salman said the Saudi state was established on the base of a reformatory movement. 'We view ourselves as men of religion, there is nothing called religious institution in the Kingdom, but all of the state is a religious institution', he said and added 'it is an important matter for the ruler to consult all factions of the society'. On the security situation in the Kingdom, Prince Salman said the Saudi government is determined on ensuring law and order, and enhancing the pillars of security and stability. Asked if members of the Shoura (consultative) Council would be elected, Prince Salman said such issues would be tackled in the future, and added 'expansion of the membership of the Shoura, and naming excellent and qualified persons for its membership constitute a reformatory process'. 'In this country were prefer a well-studied work, and when a decision is taken, it is soon announced', he noted. About fears of some foreign quarters from the pan-Arabism trends of the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz and whether such trends would have an effect on the Kingdom's foreign policy, Prince Salman said 'the entire Saudi people are Arabs and Muslims, and it should be taken into account that the Saudi people constitute the majority of the Arabian Peninsula' 'So the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the Kingdom of the Arabs, it is the cradle of Islam and it is the country which includes the two Holy Mosques'. From his side Sheikh Abdul Aziz Ibn Abdullah Al Al Sheikh, the Grand Mufti of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Chairman of Senior Ulema Commission and Religious Research and Ifta Department, offered condolences to all Muslims on the death of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques late King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz. In a speech, the Mufti commended the consensus and transfer of power to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz and Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz. The Mufti urged people to support consensus, unity and the leadership. Tens of thousands of Saudi citizens from all walks of life continued to pour into local governorates or make the journey to Riyadh to offer their allegiance to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah. A flood of reactions from countries and organizations around the globe have been received by the Kingdom, many praising the late King Fahd for his support for their country or cause. Thousands of Saudis lined up at offices and palaces of regional governors to pledge their allegiance and support for the new king and crown prince. The Saudis wished their new rulers every success and pledged they would stand by their government. Saudis in Jeddah flocked to the palace of Makkah Governor Prince Abdul Majeed, who accepted their pledges of allegiance. They included academics, Islamic scholars, security officers, farmers and businessmen as well as the young, the old and children. The citizens of Asir region paid their allegiance to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan and that they would follow the Qur'an and the Prophet's Sunna as a constitution for the Kingdom. On behalf of King Abdullah, Asir Governor Prince Khaled Al-Faisal and his deputy Prince Faisal ibn Khaled ibn Abdul Aziz received citizens at the Asir Governorate. Sheikhs, judges, tribal leaders, heads of government departments, and officers from the armed forces were among those who came to the governorate. Large numbers of citizens in the Eastern Province also went to the governorate to express their allegiance to the new king and the crown prince. Prince Jalawi ibn Abdul Aziz ibn Musaid, deputy governor of the Eastern Province, officiated at the event. Citizens in Tabuk and its surrounding provinces also paid their allegiance to their new leader. Tabuk Governor Prince Fahd ibn Sultan said: "Today marks a new day in the history of the country and Ummah." In Taif, Abdullah Al-Fayez, undersecretary of the Makkah governorate, officiated at the process. In Madinah, Governor Prince Muqrin received citizens who came to pledge their allegiance. The Foreign Ministry has urged Saudi citizens who are currently abroad to report to the Saudi legation offices within the next three days to pledge allegiance to the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz as the King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Hundreds of foreign heads of state, dignitaries and members of the royal families flocked to Riyadh on hearing the news of the death of King Fahd. Among the first to arrive were heads of state and high-ranking officials from Britain, Japan, Yemen, the United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Algeria, the Arab League, Turkey, Thailand, Syria, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Pakistan, Oman, India, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Indonesia, Czech Republic, China, Brunei, Bangladdesh, Australia and Azerbaijan Thousands of cables of condolences have been received by King Abdullah from members of royal families, presidents, prime ministers and high-ranking officials of Arab, Islamic and friendly countries. Prominent among those who offered their condolences in person include Sheikh Abdullah Al-Ahmar, speaker of the Yemeni Council of Deputies; Somali deputy Prime Minister and the Venezuelan energy minister. Britain's prime minister, Tony Blair, and his accompanying delegation left Riyadh. King Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail of Malaysia also left for Kuala Lumpur after offering condolences to King Abdullah. Many Arab ministers and representatives of the Arab League agree that King Fahd was a great supporter of the League, Arab issues and the Palestinian cause. They told the Saudi Press Agency that the loss of King Fahd was a great blow to the Islamic and Arab world. Muhammad Subaih, Palestinian representative at the Arab League, said that King Fahd's death was sad news to the Palestinian people as he stood by and supported them. The families of martyrs still remember his generosity and his continuous provision of financial support and housing. "King Fahd stood strongly next to the Palestinian cause," Subaih said. "His main goal was to support the Palestinian people and protect the sacred places." Abdul Lateef Al-Awadi, manager of the news department at Arab League, said King Fahd supported their media role. He said King Fahd made Saudi Arabia and its role influential in presenting the peace initiative at an Arab summit in Beirut in 2002. The president of the supreme judicial system in Palestine, Tayseer Al-Tamimi, called for a funeral prayer for King Fahd at Al-Aqsa Mosque and all Palestinian mosques. Iyad Allawi, former Iraqi prime minister, said the loss of King Fahd was deeply felt by the Islamic and Arab world. He said he was sure that King Abdullah would carry on his good work. "The news of King Fahd's death was shocking to many of us," he said. "I am very sad at his departure because the Arab and Islamic world lost a leader of vision and wisdom. There are no words that could describe King Fahd and how great he was." Prime Minister of Pakistan Shaukat Aziz expressed his deepest condolences on the death of King Fahd, saying he is a great loss to the Islamic and Arab world. During his visit to the Saudi Embassy in Pakistan, he said Pakistan will always remember King Fahd's support. American media networks focused on the large number of people swearing allegiance to the new king and Crown Prince Sultan. The Saudi Arabian Embassy in Australia opened its doors to the public to offer their condolences. Many officials, media personalities, businesspeople and diplomats crowded into the embassy to offer their condolences. The Saudi Embassy in New Delhi was forced to provide three additional books for registering condolences because of the rush of mourners. In Egypt, hundreds of Saudi citizens visited the Saudi Embassy to pledge allegiance to King Abdullah. The Saudi ambassador in Cairo, Ibrahim ibn Saad Al-Baraheem, said the large number of people visiting is a sign of the country's unity. In the Kingdom, Prince Meshaal Ibn Saud, governor of Najran, greeted a number of local citizens, chairmen of government departments and military leaders who came to the palace to swear allegiance to King Abdullah and to Crown Prince Sultan. Prince Meshaal urged the Saudi citizens to stand as one behind the government for development and prosperity. Riyadh Governor Prince Salman greeted many local citizens, chairmen of government departments and military leaders who came to pledge their allegiance to the new king. He also greeted president of the Yemeni Council, Abdullah Al-Ahmar, and Deputy Prime Minister of Somalia Ismail Harah together with delegations from Qatar and Ireland that came to offer their condolences. Makkah Governor Prince Abdul Majeed and Madinah Governor Prince Muqrin greeted officials and military personnel who came to offer condolences and swear allegiance to the new king. The Custodian of Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz received at his ranch in Janadriyah Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair and his accompanying delegation. During the audience, Blair offered Britain's deepest condolences to King Abdullah on the death of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques late King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz. The monarch thanked him for his noble feelings and participation in offering the condolences. The audience was attended by Prince Nawaf Ibn Abdul Aziz, Special Advisor to the King; Prince Abdulilah Ibn Abdul Aziz; Prince Turki Al-Faisal, Saudi Ambassador to the United Kingdom and Ireland; a number of princes; ministers and British Ambassador to the Kingdom Sherard Cowper Coles. Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, received separately here last night King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden; Prince of Wales Charles, the British Crown Prince; Prince Philip, the Belgian Crown Prince and Poland's Prime Minister Marek Belka, who came to offer condolences over the death of the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz. The meetings were attended by Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Riyadh region, and sons of the late King Fahd. On the other hand, Crown Prince Sultan received last night sons of the late Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq al-Hariri. On the other hand tThe current president of the UN Security Council, Japanese Ambassador Kenzo Oshima, expressed on Tuesday Council members' regret and condolences over the death of King Fahd of Saudi Arabia. They highlighted his diplomatic and political achievements at the regional and international arenas. A statement read by Oshima said the members offered condolences to King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Saudi government and people. They highlighted accomplishments achieved by King Fahd and said he had devoted his entire time in the service of his country and people and noted that he had contributed positively to enhancing pillars of peace and understanding as well as security and stability in the Arab region and the rest of the world. On behalf of 25 million Muslim in China the head of the Chinese Muslim Society issued a statement in which he praised the late Kind and noted the services to Chinese pilgrims, adding that King Fahd has made an important contribution to the construction of a modern Saudi Arabia, the development of the Saudi national economy and the peace and development in the region and the world. He said: We join the people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in mourning the loss of one of the greatest and respectable leaders of the Muslim world. Meanwhile the Mexican Embassy in Riyadh stressed the feeling of sadness at the loss of the late King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz. It offered the condolences of its government to the Saudi people and government. The Mexican President Vicente Fox and his Foreign Minister sent messages of condolences to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz. On the other hand Lebanon Mufti Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani said in a statement that prayers for the deceased the late Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz will be held in mosques all over Lebanon after Friday prayers.