AKIPRESS.COM - Kazakh Senate Speaker Kasym-Jomart Tokayev on behalf of President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev will take part in the funeral of Saudi King Abdullah.

Mr. Tokayev will pass the new king of Saudi Arabia a personal message of condolence from President of Kazakhstan.

Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz has died in hospital early on Friday. King Abdullah, who was said to be aged about 90, had been in hospital for several weeks suffering from a lung infection.

A statement early on Friday said his half brother, Salman, had become king. King Salman, 79, had recently taken on the ailing monarch's responsibilities.