Putin offers condolences on Saudi king's death

MOSCOW, January 23. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed condolences to King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, who acceded to the Saudi throne, on the death of his half-brother, King Abdullah, the Kremlin press service said on Friday. Putin said the king's death was a great loss to the kingdom and Saudi people. "The deceased king was known as a wise and consistent statesman and politician, a leader loved and respected by his people and had a deserved authority on the international scene," the Kremlin quoted Putin as saying. "His Majesty ruled the country effectively and successfully on the important stages of its development and did a lot to improve the socio-economic situation of the [Saudi] people, development of the country's public institutions and fight against terrorism at different levels." Putin also praised King Abdallah's role on the resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict. The Russian president said that his meetings with King Abdallah in Moscow and Riyadh had been productive and "confirmed the traditional friendly nature of bilateral Russian-Saudi relations." Putin said he was convinced that the achievements made during the king's ruling would "ensure further progress and prosperity of Saudi Arabia and consolidate regional stability and security." King Abdullah, one of the world’s most powerful people, assumed the throne in 2005 as the country's sixth king after the death of his half-brother, King Fahd. Read more