Spain declares day of mourning for King Fahd

The Spanish government declared today a day of mourning following the death of Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd, recalling the monarch’s contribution to peace in the Middle East and his strong ties with Spain.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry underscored Fahd’s role in the plan named after him in the late 1970s which began pushing the idea of an independent Palestinian state which was adopted by the League of Arab Nations and the Palestinian Liberation Organisation in 1982.

The statement also praised Fahd’s role in bringing an end to the Lebanese civil war and his interest in seeking a solution to the Western Sahara conflict.

The ministry also made note of the strong ties between the Spanish and Saudi royal families which it said were reflected in the regular meetings between Fahd and Spain’s King Juan Carlos.

King Fahd maintained a summer residence in Spain’s southern coastal resort of Marbella. Marbella has declared three days of mourning and the city council was to meet to name the monarch as an adopted son.

King Juan Carlos plans to travel to Riyadh soon to offer his condolences to the Saudi royal family and greet King Abdullah, a spokesman for the Zarzuela Palace in Madrid said.