President Barack Obama arrived in Riyadh on Tuesday at the head of a 30-member delegation including senior U.S. officials to meet the new Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz.
King Salman greeted in person Obama, who exited Air Force One with First Lady Michelle Obama after touchdown at King Khalid International Airport in the capital, Riyadh. Obama arrived after cutting short a trip to India.
Joining Obama in paying respects following the death of King Abdullah is Republican statesmen James Baker, secretary of state in the George H.W. Bush administration, and Brent Scowcroft, national security advisor to presidents Ford and H.W. Bush, the White House said.
Condoleezza Rice, secretary of state for President George W. Bush, Stephen Hadley, national security adviser in that administration, and Republican Senator John McCain, who is often critical of Obama's foreign policy, also will join.
Obama's Secretary of State John Kerry and CIA Director John Brennan will be part of the delegation, as will top Obama advisors Susan Rice and Lisa Monaco.
King Abdullah died on Friday after a short illness and was succeeded by King Salman.
The U.S. President later phoned the new Saudi king to offer his condolences.
World leaders flocked to the Saudi capital Riyadh over the weekend to pay tribute to the late king.
Shortly after King Abdullah’s death, the White House issued a statement hailing him as a “candid” leader who “had the courage of his convictions.”
“As our countries worked together to confront many challenges, I always valued King Abdullah's perspective and appreciated our genuine and warm friendship,” said Obama.
“The closeness and strength of the partnership between our two countries is part of King Abdullah’s legacy.”
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said in King Abdullah’s death, the United States lost “a man of wisdom and vision.”
