News Analysis: Cheney´s Mideast trip not necessarily optimistic

GET IRAQ SUPPORTED

As the 5th anniversary of U.S.-led Iraq war is approaching, U.S. officials have begun negotiating with their Iraqi counterparts over formal arrangements for a long-term relationship in the political, economic and security fields between the two sides.

In hopes of having Iraq's pro-U.S. government got wide support in the Arab world, the United States has been expecting Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations to demonstrate their full support to Iraq's new government by appointing an ambassador and opening an embassy in Baghdad.

"The United States can do a lot for Iraq, but we cannot provide Iraq with an anchor in the Arab world, a kind of legitimacy for the new Iraqi project that comes from being fully integrated in its neighborhood," said a U.S. official who asked not to be identified.

"And I think clearly some of our friends in the Arab world can do more on that score," the official said of Cheney's coming visit to Oman and Saudi Arabia.

But some analysts have doubt about any major breakthroughs when Cheney talks about the matter with Arab countries.

"I don't think that he's going to be able to bring back anything meaningful because he's got nothing to offer," said Steven Simon, a senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.

"He represents a lame duck president, a floundering economy, a situation in which the U.S. for all its efforts in Iraq has no leverage on the government in Baghdad," Simon noted.

IRAN, PKK CONCERNED

Of all Mideast issues, Iran has been on top of the White House agenda. Local media quoted an unidentified U.S. official as reporting that Cheney will tell leaders of the allied countries that Iran remains to be grave concern of the United States, and that Iran's growing regional influence must be contained.

"I expect in all of these countries that the challenge we face from Iran will be a very high topic of conversation," the official said.

On Turkey, which is the last stop of Cheny, the official said that Cheney will send a message to Turkish leaders that the United States will continue supporting Ankara to fight against Turkey's separatist organization Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), listed by both the United States and Turkey as a terrorist group.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei