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CNN Sunday Morning

Conversations 'Warm and Productive' in Saudi Arabia

Aired March 17, 2002 - 07:08   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Our John King is traveling with Vice President Dick Cheney's party during his 12-nation diplomatic trip. He is in Bahrain now and joins us on the phone with the latest on that trip.

Hello, John.

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Miles, from Bahrain on Air Force II about to taxi for a short flight to Qatar, as the vice president continues his consultations here in the Middle East.

At a news conference after his conversations with the king and the Crown Prince of Bahrain, Vice President Cheney acknowledging in public what has become so clear in his private conversations. He says there is such a preoccupation in the Arab world with the Israeli/Palestinian conflict that it makes it more difficult to focus attention on anything else. And of course, Mr. Cheney wants most of all to focus attention on potential future fronts in the war on terrorism and a possible U.S. military confrontation with Saddam Hussein.

Mr. Cheney also saying that despite reservations by the Saudi government about the use of its military bases and about a military conflict with Iraq, in his conversations with Crown Prince Abdullah in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia last night, were, in the vice president's words, "warm and productive." As a sign of that, Crown Prince Abdullah invited to the Bush ranch in Crawford, Texas for continuing consultations about the war on terrorism.

And Mr. Bush -- Mr. Cheney, excuse me, receiving some words of encouragement for the first time when it comes to the question of confronting Iraq. The Crown Prince of Bahrain said that he hoped this dispute could be resolved diplomatically. He called on Saddam Hussein to allow United Nations weapons inspectors back into Iraq.

But he also said that Bahrain honors its commitment, a clear implication there that Bahrain would allow the United States to use its naval facilities in this small island Persian Gulf nation if it came to that, if it came to a military confrontation with Iraq. So delicate diplomacy.

The vice president acknowledges publicly, for the first time, the linkage between the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and his efforts to focus attention on Iraq. And a bit of good news for the vice president here in Bahrain, with the commitment of -- at least the stated commitment that Bahrain would honor its commitment and allow the United States to use those bases if necessary -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: CNN's John King reporting live from Air Force II. We'll be checking in with him as the plane touches down in the next stop on the itinerary.

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