sightedness, huge personal engagement for dialogue between the Middle East and the Western world, and his balanced and mediatory policies in the Middle East earned him and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia respect and recognition worldwide." Saad Al-Hariri, a prominent Lebanese leader said "We in Lebanon, which the (late) king loved and offered his efforts, heart and time to in a way the Lebanese people will never forget, feel the magnitude of the loss, remembering how the kingdom stood by us at each of our political and economic crossroads." On his part, Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad said "the late King Fahd spent his life defending the interests of the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the causes of the Arab nation. He was keen on fortifying relations between our two countries." --MORE 1521 Local Time 1221 GMT
