RIYADH, May 12 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney arrived in Saudi Arabia's northern town of Tabuk on Saturday after he concluded his visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

    Cheney was given a red-carpet arrival ceremony at the airport and met with King Abdullah at a royal palace in Tabuk after his arrival.

    According to earlier media reports, Cheney would hold talks with King Abdullah to seek Riyadh's help in Iraq, two months after the Saudi monarch slammed the "illegitimate foreign occupation" of the war-torn neighbor.

    In a speech at the opening session of the 19th annual Arab summit in Riyadh on March 28, King Abdullah denounced the "illegitimate foreign occupation" of Iraq, which have incited "ugly sectarianism" that threatens civil war.

    Cheney arrived Thursday in the UAE, the second leg of his Middle East tour, after a two-day surprise visit to Iraq in afresh effort to press Iraqi leaders to achieve reconciliation among rival factions.

    Earlier on Saturday before his arrival in Saudi Arabia, the U.S. vice president met and held talks with UAE President Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan on ways to enhance bilateral relations in addition to the latest developments in the region.

    After a brief visit to Saudi Arabia, Cheney will head to Egypt and Jordan to wrap up a week-long Middle East visit, according to his arrangements.

    Cheney started his Middle East tour on May 9, which was launched with an aim to encourage Washington's Arab allies to help pull Iraq's minority Sunni Muslims into the country's fragile political process and curb the influence of a rising Iran.

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    Cheney winds up UAE mission for support for U.S. policies

     ABU DHABI, May 12 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney wound up on Saturday his three-day visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which aims at seeking the Gulf country's support for U.S. policies over Iraq and Iran.

    Cheney left Abu Dhabi for Saudi Arabia later on Saturday to continue his regional tour in the Middle East, one day ahead of the arrival of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the first of its kind since the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran.

    Cheney holds talks with UAE official on bilateral co-op

     ABU DHABI, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Visiting U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney held talks here with a senior official of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Friday and the two sides exchanged views over a series of issues of mutual concern.

    Cheney and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, also explored prospects and ways of boosting bilateral cooperation for the benefit of the two friendly countries, according to UAE's official Emirates News Agency.

    U.S. VP Cheney visits Baghdad to push reconciliation

    BAGHDAD, May 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney made a surprise visit to Baghdad in a new bid to press Iraqi leaders to double efforts to achieve reconciliation among rival factions.

    During his visit, Cheney met Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, Sunni and Shiite vice presidents, and other government and political leaders.