WASHINGTON, 10 March – US Vice President Richard Cheney is trying to lower expectations that his trip to Middle East, which begins today, might somehow defuse the escalating violence there. Cheney told journalists yesterday his trip “has taken on, I suppose, a little bit of added significance because of the Middle East crisis, with respect to the peace process,” and noted the subject is “clearly something that will come up at every stop,” during his 10-day, 12-nation journey.
“Given the (White House special envoy Anthony) Zinni mission, given the vision the Crown Prince (Abdullah) put forward recently, recent conversations we’ve had with (Israeli) Prime Minister Sharon and (Egyptian) President Mubarak here in Washington, conversations with the Crown Prince by telephone, it’s bound to be a subject that I’ll spend time on at each stop.”
Cheney said he would “be soliciting the views of our hosts in terms of how they look at the current state of affairs and what suggestions they have.” He added that the upcoming Arab summit in Beirut on March 27-28 would also be a topic of conversation.
Cheney will visit Britain, Turkey and Israel, and nine Arab nations: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, Yemen, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. He said he has previously visited all of the countries, with the exception of Yemen. “I’ll be dealing with people that I’ve dealt with before over the years,” he said. “By sending me, the president emphasizes the important he places on these relationships.”
Cheney is the highest-ranking official to visit the Middle East since George W. Bush became president. Cheney gained Middle East expertise as defense secretary under former President George H. Bush, when he worked closely with Arab leaders before and during the Gulf War in Iraq.
He continued to develop these ties when he left the White House and became chairman of Halliburton Co., an oil services firm. The vice president said yesterday he met with Secretary of State Colin Powell, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice to review his itinerary.
