(MENAFN- Arab News) NEW YORK: World leaders offered their sincere condolences over the death of King Abdullah on Friday.UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said: 'Under King Abdullah's leadership over many decades in different high-level positions in government the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia achieved remarkable progress and prosperity for its people.' US President Barack Obama said King Abdullah was a 'valued' ally. 'The closeness and strength of the partnership between our two countries is part of King Abdullah's legacy' Obama added. French President Francois Hollande hailed King Abdullah as 'a statesman whose work profoundly marked the history of his country'.Turkish President Recip Tayyip Erdogan said Abdullah had contributed 'to strengthening cooperation and solidarity in the Muslim world especially concerning the Palestinian question and the situation in Syria.'European Council Chairman Donald Tusk said that King Abdullah was a strong partner of the European Union. 'On behalf of the European Union I offer condolences to the royal family and the Saudi people' he said.