Khalifa elected President after Zayed is laid to rest

Amid a sea of tears and with a prayer on their lips, a people united in their love for Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan said a final goodbye to the father of the nation, who stood by them in hard times and transformed a barren land into a prosperous country.

As the desert sands swallowed the setting sun, a chapter in the history of the UAE closed.

Another opened when His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler of Abu Dhabi, was elected President of the country.

Leaders from all over the world came to pay their respects to Shaikh Zayed and pay condolences to Shaikh Khalifa and His Highness Shaikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Saeed of Oman, His Majesty King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa of Bahrain, Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, King Abdullah of Jordan, Syrian President Bashar Al Assad, Algerian President Abdul Aziz Bouteflika, Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, Kuwaiti Prime Minister Shaikh Sabah Ahmad Al Sabah, Iraq's President Gazi Al Yawar and its Prime Minister Eyad Allawi, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and Afghan President Hamid Karzai attended the funeral prayers, soon after Asr prayers, at the Shaikh Sultan Bin Zayed Mosque. Shaikh Zayed was laid to rest at 4.30pm at the Grand Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi.

Later, Shaikh Khalifa was elected President by the Supreme Council. The mandate was taken following a meeting chaired by Shaikh Maktoum. The meeting was attended by Shaikh Khalifa and Their Highnesses, Members of the Supreme Council, Rulers of the Emirates Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi of Sharjah, Shaikh Saqr Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi of Ras Al Khaimah, Shaikh Hamad Bin Mohammad Al Sharqi of Fujairah, Shaikh Rashid Bin Ahmad Al Mualla of Umm Al Quwain, and Shaikh Humaid Bin Rashid Al Nuaimi of Ajman.

A statement by the Presidential Court stated that Shaikh Khalifa was elected President by general consent to succeed Shaikh Zayed under Article 51 of the Constitution.

Members of the Council expressed their keenness to perpetuate what was founded by Shaikh Zayed based on the principles of distinguished leadership.

The Council also expressed its full confidence that the UAE people will always remain a guardian of the federation.

Shaikh Khalifa appreciated the valuable confidence placed in him by Members of the Supreme Council, confirming that he will continue to follow in the steps of Shaikh Zayed.

Shaikh Khalifa, meanwhile, received a telephone call from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia. In his call, the Saudi Monarch expressed his heartfelt condolences to the government and people of the UAE over the death of Shaikh Zayed.

Shaikh Khalifa also received a cable from French President Jaques Chirac expressing his deep sorrow over the death of Shaikh Zayed.

Shaikh Khalifa and Shaikh Maktoum received cables of condolences from King Mohammad of Morocco and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat.

Shaikh Khalifa also received condolences from Their Highnesses, Members of the Supreme Council and Rulers of the Emirates.