CAIRO, Jan 23 (Aswat Masriya) - Saudi King Abdullah passed away at the age of 90 early Friday after being hospitalised for weeks, reported Saudi state television.

The Saudi monarch's brother Crown Prince Salman will be crowned king, state television reported.

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi stopped at Saudi Arabia on his way back from a visit to the neighbouring United Arab Emirates on Monday "to check on the king's health."

King Abdullah urged Egypt and Qatar to "consolidate relations between them" last December. Both countries embraced the calls, in a move which eased tension between Egypt and Qatar after over a year of strained relations since the ouster of Islamist President Mohamed Mursi in July 2013.