Dick Cheney in Oman next week
Added 18/12/2005. CBC has reported that on each night of the 5-day trip, Cheney "and his entourage will stay each night in Oman because of security concerns, shuttling to other stops each day aboard Air Force Two."
Added 21/12/2005. Dick Cheney visited Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan on this trip, and has been reported as flying in and out of Oman, where he was received by Dr Omar bin Abdul Munim Al Zawawi, special adviser of His Majesty for external liaison, and Richard Baltimore, the US ambassador to Oman. He broke off his trip early to fly back to Washington where his vote was needed in the Senate to pass budget cuts and to "to help usher through a measure to open the Alaskan wildlife refuge to oil drilling." Reuters.
Nevertheless, the Times of Oman reported that His Majesty Sultan Qaboos gave the US vice-president an audience at Bait Al Barakah before he left, where "cordial conversation was exchanged and aspects of existing cooperation between the Sultanate and the US in various spheres in the light of the two countries’ strong ties were discussed."
The Oman Observer showed a photo of a delighted Sultan chatting with the US vice-president, whose chair was placed much closer to His Majesty than is often customary for such occasions. I'd say this suggests a great deal of closeness at state level.
