Cheney Finds no Takers for Iraq Policy

Originally, Cheney's Middle East tour was intended to build support for the U.S.-led war on terrorism and its campaign to overthrow Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

But Arab leaders have declared the raging Israeli-Palestinian violence as a far more pressing priority, and have urged for greater U.S. involvement in the search for peace.

Despite an attempt to keep Iraq a seperate issue from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, leaders of Arab nations have told Cheney that the two are inextricably linked.

American Vice-president Dick Cheney tried to shrug off reports on Sunday that Arab leaders were against a military campaign against Iraq.

Challenging reports that Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah was opposed to U.S. action against Iraq and had ruled out the use by Americans of Saudi Arabian bases, he said he had received a different message from Prince Abdullah in private and described their meeting as "very warm and friendly".

Looking for support

During his 12-nation tour, Cheney has been working to build support among Arab leaders for tougher U.S. action against Iraq, one of three nations that make up what President Bush has called an "axis of evil."

But Arab leaders have said they would not support new military action against Iraq’s President Saddam Hussein. And many Arabs still believe US sanctions have only led to more suffering among Iraq’s population.

Speaking at a press conference with Mr Cheney, the Crown Prince of Bahrain, Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa, criticised the American focus on Iraq. "It is important to realise that the way the threat is perceived here is quite different," he said.

"The people who are dying in the streets today are dying not because of Iraqi action, but because of Israel," he added

The importance of reaching a just settlement, he said, precluded all other issues - including the threat of weapons of mass destruction.

On condition

An unconditional resumption for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq after a three year suspension is a key US demand for any US-Iraqi dialogue.

On Monday, Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan said Bagdhad would only agree to a conditional resumption of UN weapons inspections.

"Iraq rejects the return of international inspectors unless the locations to be searched are identified and a timetable is set up and respected", the Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat quoted Ramadan as saying.

UN weapons experts have been banned from entering the country since they left Iraq on the eve of a British bombing campaign in December 1998.

No negotiations

The US may find it tough getting any support for a military strike against Iraq without at least producing a ceasefire and the framework for a lasting peace in the Israel-Palestinian crisis.

Critics in the Arab world believe the Bush administration has been too pro-Israel in its Middle East policy, citing the President's repeated refusal to meet with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

U.S officials have said that, during his visit to Israel, Cheney is due to meet Sharon but have made clear that he does not intend to play any negotiating role.

He has, however, taken Saudi Middle East peace initiative on his trip to Israel, which the Vice-president describes as a "good one". The plan proposes normalising Arab ties with Israel in return for Israeli withdrawal from lands occupied in the 1967 Middle East war.