Many leaders went on Saturday to Riyadh to offer condolences to the Saudi royal family, mourning the death of King Abdullah. Even Iran has dispatched his chief diplomat, a sign of more peaceful relations between the two rivals.
Also present were the kings of Spain, the Netherlands, the Turkish prime ministers, British or French President Francois Hollande. US President Barack Obama has decided to cut short his stay in India. It will be in Riyadh on Tuesday.
This impressive diplomatic ballet shows the importance of Saudi Arabia, the largest oil producer and key player in the region. The Heads of State and Government were able to speak with members of the royal family. The new king Salman, 79, and is said in poor health, succeeded his half-brother, Abdullah, died of pneumonia at the age of 91, after a reign a decade. Francois Hollande "honored the memory of a man (...) whose vision of a just and lasting peace in the Middle East remains more than ever."
Abdallah was buried Friday just hours after his death, which explains the late arrival of foreign leaders. The former ruler rests in a public cemetery in Riyadh under a modest tombstone.
