August 1, 2005
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Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd Dies in Riyadh
Long-Term De Facto Ruler Crown Prince Abdullah Has Succeeded His Half-Brother
By Anthony Shadid
Washington Post Foreign Service
Monday, August 1, 2005; 3:39 PM
DAMASCUS, Aug. 1 — King Fahd ibn Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia, whose decade-long pursuit of a strategic alliance with the United States prompted a far-reaching backlash by Islamic militants, died Monday and was succeeded by his half-brother, Crown Prince Abdullah, in a swift and scripted transition that signaled continuity in the policies of the world’s largest oil exporter.
The death of Fahd marked the first change in the Saudi throne in 23 years, but the succession was more a formality than the end of an era. Abdullah had effectively ruled since Fahd suffered a stroke in 1995, steering key policies and serving as the kingdom’s public face. Despite rumors of squabbles, the royal family was believed to have reached consensus on both his accession and that of his successor as crown prince years ago, in part to assure at least the veneer of calm in a deeply conservative country that prizes stability.
Abdullah “worked closely with the late king in implementing the policies of Saudi Arabia both externally and internally,” Prince Turki bin Faisal, the Saudi ambassador to Britain who will soon head the Saudi mission in Washington, said in a news conference in London. “So I cannot imagine that there will be any particular change in that policy, but rather a continuation.”
As the kingdom readied for Fahd’s funeral Tuesday, with state television broadcasting Koranic recitations and foreign leaders preparing to arrive, that was the thrust of sentiments: Abdullah needed to do little to reshape policy that was already his.
But the accession of the 80-year-old king — like Fahd, a son of the kingdom’s founder, Abdulaziz — brings the country a step closer to an eventual transition to a younger generation. Part of that shift, analysts say, may become evident in jockeying over powerful government positions that are vacant, such as intelligence, or may soon open in the Defense Ministry and National Guard.
Fahd, who was believed to be 83, had entered a hospital in Riyadh on May 27 with acute pneumonia. He died at around 6 a.m. local time today. Hours later, Saudi television broke with regular broadcasting to announce his death.
“With deep sorrow and pain, the royal court mourns the death of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Fahd, due to illness,” said Information Minister Iyad bin Amin Madani, reading an official statement on state television.
The statement said that the royal family had chosen Abdullah as his successor and Defense Minister Sultan bin Abdulaziz as the new crown prince. There was no word on the second in line to the throne, surprising some in the capital Riyadh.
“We were absolutely, pleasantly surprised that it took minutes, not even hours,” said Mahmoud Ghamdi, the Riyadh bureau chief for the Saudi Gazette. “Since his illness, the crown prince has pretty much taken over, and people have gotten used to Crown Prince Abdullah being in charge of things. Things looks sad, but things look terribly smooth.”
The White House was informed of Fahd’s death at about 2:30 a.m. EDT. Later Monday morning, President Bush called Abdullah and expressed condolences over Fahd’s death and congratulations on his accession.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan, who announced the phone call, said a U.S. delegation would attend Fahd’s funeral. He said the delegation hasn’t been chosen yet. Bush will not attend the services, McClellan said.
Arab neighbors declared periods of mourning, and the Arab League postponed a summit scheduled for Wednesday in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, site of a series of bombings July 23 . Many of those leaders are expected to arrive in Riyadh for the funeral of Fahd, whose country’s oil wealth and importance to Islam as the site of its most sacred shrines makes Saudi Arabia perhaps the region’s most pivotal state. On news of his death, crude oil prices soared past $61, its most expensive mark in weeks.
Other foreign leaders offered their condolences.
“Saudi Arabia has lost one of its dutiful sons, a leader among the most dear of its leaders and men,” said Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
Britain’s Prime Minister Tony Blair, in a statement, said, “King Fahd was a man of great vision and leadership who inspired his countrymen for a quarter of a century as king. He led Saudi Arabia through a period of unparalleled progress and development. He was also a good friend of the United Kingdom,” it said.
“We feel sorrow and pain over the death of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd,” said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. “We have known this man for a long time. . . . He showed support and commitment to the Palestinian revolution and to Fatah since the 60s.”
“During his reign King Fahd was, above all, concerned with the safety of his people,” said French President Jacques Chirac. “In troubled times, he guaranteed the integrity of his country and defended regional stability. He developed the kingdom wisely.”
Staff writer Fred Barbash contributed to this report from Washington.
© 2005 The Washington Post Company
