Cheney seeks Mid-East Iraq help

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US Vice-President Dick Cheney is on his way to the Middle East in an attempt to gain the backing of Arab leaders for US efforts to stem the violence in Iraq.

He may also seek support for continuing Western-led diplomatic pressure on Iran over its nuclear programme.

He will visit the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, as well a US aircraft carrier in the Gulf.

It comes shortly after US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice attended a summit on Iraq held in Egypt.

The two-day conference, in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, was called for rich nations and regional powers to discuss ways to rebuild and stabilise security in Iraq.

On the sidelines, Ms Rice also held ground-breaking talks with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem, the highest-level meeting between the two countries in years.

'Working together'

Mr Cheney's first stop will be Abu Dhabi, in the UAE, where he will meet President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan on Wednesday, his office said.

He is also due to hold talks during his week-long tour with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah of Jordan and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

According to administration officials, he will ask the leaders of Iraq's mostly Sunni neighbours to back US efforts to rein in sectarian violence in Iraq.

Mr Cheney will also be seeking their support for the fragile political process in Baghdad.

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said the vice-president would build on Ms Rice's trip last week.

"We have challenges in the region, and it's important that everyone should be working together in order to solve them," she said.

Analysts say Mr Cheney will hope to build on ties forged in previous trips to the region, while in business and as vice-president to George W Bush and defence secretary to his father, President George Bush Snr.

He is also expected to meet US military commanders and troops stationed in the region on the USS Stennis aircraft carrier.