"New Saudi Ruler Pledges Continuity After Death of King Abdullah"

"BEIRUT, Lebanon — Hours after the death of Saudi Arabia’s ruler, his successor, King Salman, moved quickly on Friday to project a sense of continuity, saying in a televised address that the oil-rich nation, a Western ally that has long played a dominant role in Arab politics, would not change course.

“We will continue adhering to the correct policies which Saudi Arabia has followed since its establishment,” Salman, the former crown prince, declared.

He was speaking as leaders from the Muslim world converged in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, for the funeral of Abdullah, his brother and predecessor. Abdullah steered his deeply conservative land through the turmoil of the Arab Spring and was caught up in the region’s seething rivalries before his death early Friday at 90."

Anne Barnard and Alan Cowell report for the New York Times January 23, 2015.

SEE ALSO:

"Oil Climbs as Saudi King’s Death Spurs Policy Speculation" (Bloomberg)

"King Abdullah’s Death Unlikely to Upset Saudi Oil Goals, Analysts Say" (New York Times)