Editor's Note:
U.S.
Vice President Dick Cheney was hosted by Saudi Arabian King
Abdullah on March 21, 2008 for discussions on bilateral and
regional issues. This article provides a wrap-up of the visit
and the SUSRIS Special Section (link below) provides more
information on the meeting.
King
Abdullah Welcomes Cheney
Arab News
RIYADH, 22 March 2008 - Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King
Abdullah welcomed US Vice President Dick Cheney and
presented the King
Abdul Aziz Sash to him at his Janadriya ranch on the outskirts
of Riyadh yesterday.
Saudi
Foreign Minister Prince Saud
Al-Faisal earlier received Cheney at King
Khaled International Airport.
According to sources, issues such as Palestine, Iraq and
Lebanon figured high in the discussions between the king and
Cheney. They also discussed where the US now stands in the
global energy market.
King Abdullah urged Cheney to pressure Israel to seal a peace
deal with the Palestinians before US
President George W. Bush leaves office in January next
year, sources said.
The sources said Saudi Arabia was not happy with the
"slow" pace of US efforts to push the Middle East peace
process. There has been a lack of US pressure on Israel to
reach a peace agreement and end the building of settlements
and halt all excavations around Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
Discussing
Iran's nuclear program and its growing regional influence,
the king confirmed his opposition to any US military strike,
sources said.
Saudi Arabia, along with other Gulf Arab countries, sees
negotiations as the best way to ease tension between the US
and Iran.
According to sources, the king also told Cheney that the
Middle East should be free of nuclear weapons and other
weapons of mass destruction.
Situation in Iraq
|
The
situation in Iraq was also discussed. The US wants the
Kingdom to step up formal ties with the Iraqis by
sending an ambassador to Baghdad and encouraging visits
by ministers and officials.
 Washington
wants to see its Arab allies improve ties with Baghdad
as a way of containing Iran's influence in Iraq,
according to US officials.
Saudi
diplomats visited Baghdad at the end of last year to
explore the possibility of opening an embassy there.
Washington and Riyadh disagree over the Iraqi government
led by Shiite Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki, with the
Saudis saying Al-Maliki is not doing enough to promote
reconciliation between the country's Shiite and Sunni
Arabs thereby giving Iran a chance to deepen its
foothold in Iraq. |
The
political standoff in Lebanon, resulting from the failure of
its Parliament to elect a president, was discussed.
Oil Prices
During
his trip to the Kingdom in January,
US President George W. Bush had urged the Organization of
Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to increase production,
saying it was a mistake to have the economies of its largest
customers slowing down as a result of higher energy prices.
The oil-producing nations ignored Bush's request. The White
House said it disagreed with OPEC's decision to rebuff that
request, and that the oil-producing nations themselves could
be hurt by US gas prices that are more than $3 a gallon.
Cheney asked the king to press the organization for an output
increase to ease pressures on the US economy, according to
sources at the US Embassy in Riyadh.
- With input from agencies
Source: Arab
News
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