Cheney will visit Oman, Saudi Arabia, Israel, the West Bank and Turkey beginning Sunday "for discussions with these key partners on issues of mutual interest," the statement said.

Among dignitaries Cheney is scheduled to meet are Sultan Sayyid Qaboos bin Said bin Taimur al 'Bu Saidi of Oman, King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud of Saudi Arabia, Prime Minister Emud Olmert of Israel, President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad of the Palestinian Territories, and President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey.