(MENAFN- Daily News Egypt) The government decision to "delay" the celebrations of the 25 January Revolution's fourth anniversary upon the death of Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdelaziz might be seen controversial.
In the wake of the former Saudi monarch's death, Egypt's government also announced a seven-day state of mourning in Egypt to mark the state's sympathy with the neighbouring nation's loss, following generous donations from them following 30 June 2013.
Abdullah was firmly opposed to the protests that erupted early in 2011 against Egypt's autocrat Hosni Mubarak, his ally and friend as he called him, after four days of protests. He expressed his support, saying: "An Arab and Muslim human cannot stand that some infiltrators among Egyptian people disrupt Egypt's security and stability, in the name of freedom of expression."
Also, the Saudi government urged the US administration to stop pressing Mubarak to submit to popular demand to step down.
Despite the fact that the first freely elected president of Egypt Mohamed Morsi paid his first foreign visit to Saudi Arabia, Abdullah's government was a strong supporter of the army's move to take power following the popular uprising against the Muslim Brotherhood government.
Immediately after Morsi's ouster on 3 July, 2013, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait collaborated to provide a financial aid package of $12bn to the new military-backed government in Egypt.
Following President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi winning in the elections held in May, Abdullah called for a donor conference to help Egypt "overcome its economic difficulties".
Abdullah was also the first foreign leader to visit Al-Sisi after he took office, when he arrived to Cairo in June 2014. Al-Sisi paid a visit back to Saudi Arabia in the following August, where the former Saudi king presented Al-Sisi with the King Abdulaziz Medal, the highest and most prestigious medal in Saudi Arabia.
Political parties from different camps in Egypt expressed their condolences for Abdullah's death, and the Muslim Brotherhood tweeted on its official English language Twitter account: "Our sincere condolences to the ruling royal family & the ppl of Saudi Arabia on the death of King Abdullah, may Allah have mercy on his soul."
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