On Saturday, Cheney and Abdullah met for more than four hours in a
discussion of the Iranian threat, Arab-Israeli peace efforts and energy
prices. The vice president, on a 10-day regional tour, also met Saudi Oil
Minister Ali Al Nueimi on Saudi production capacity, Middle East Newsline reported.
"They will review a broad agenda of diplomatic and security issues as
well as where we are now in the global energy market," Cheney's national
security adviser, John Hannah, said before the vice president's arrival in
Riyad on
March 21. "And I am sure they will talk about the need for a cooperative way
forward to try and stabilize this market, reduce volatility in the market
and serve the interests of both consumers and producers alike."
Officials said the Bush administration was concerned over OPEC's
decision to reject an oil production increase. They said Riyad could be
doing more to influence the oil cartel or unilaterally raise production
levels.
Later, Cheney aides acknowledged that his discussions with the king
focused on the need to stop rising oil prices. But they refused to say
whether Abdullah issued any commitment to increase production.
"They discussed the the way forward, how we work together to try to
stabilize the market and what can be done and what could be done shorter
term, but probably more about what's necessary to do over the medium and
longer term," an official who was traveling with Cheney said. "I can't tell
you much about the conversations themselves, these are especially
confidential and private conversations. They have a lot of important
implications, I think, as we sort of work together going forward on a number
of problems."
Officials said Cheney reiterated a U.S. pledge to establish a
Palestinian state within a year. Hours later, the vice president arrived in
Israel where he met Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Cheney was also scheduled to
meet Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
"America's committed to moving the process forward," Cheney said in
Israel. "It is not America's role to dictate the outcome."
