U.S. President Barack Obama on Sunday called King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, wishing him a full recovery from the illness, said the White House. 'President Obama called King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia this morning to wish him well, and to congratulate him on the progress that he has made toward a full recovery,' a White House statement said. Saudi King Abdullah congratulated Obama on the recent Senate approval of the new START Treaty, and Obama told the king that he looked forward to working closely together in the coming year, said the statement. The two leaders underscored the importance of their bilateral relationship, and agreed to continue cooperating closely on a range of issues, according to the statement. Last month, the 86-year-old king came to the United States to undergo a back surgery to fix a slipped disc. King Abdullah rose to power in 2005 after the death of his half brother King Fahd. 