Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdulaziz and US Vice President Dick Cheney on Friday spoke by phone about "the latest developments" in bilateral relations and global politics, reported the the official Saudi News Agency (SPA).
The agency said that the two leaders exchanged viewpoints on bilateral topics and the latest developments in the international arena.
US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld visited Riyadh last week in what appeared to be a bid to ease Saudi concerns about Washington's anti-terror plans.
Saudi Arabia, which has been in an awkward position since the United States launched its anti-terror campaign after the September 11 attacks, was "reassured that Washington is not seeking the use of military facilities" on its soil for an offensive against Afghanistan, a Western diplomat told AFP.
"Washington has no immediate need for facilities in Saudi Arabia. What it needs are facilities in countries bordering Afghanistan," he said.
There has been much media speculation about whether Saudi Arabia, Washington's key ally in the strategic Gulf, will provide logistical support for the anticipated US military retaliation for last month's devastating attacks on New York and Washington.
But Saudi leaders said they had received no request for military assistance before stating that they would not allow their territory to be used as a launch-pad for strikes against a fellow Muslim country such as Afghanistan.
Rumsfeld, who held talks with the kingdom's leaders at the start of a four-nation tour Wednesday, said Washington recognized and respected the sensitivities of its Saudi allies.
He said he had discussed with his Saudi hosts means of dealing with the terrorism crisis in ways that would prevent "secondary effects," an apparent reference to concerns that military action could produce a destabilizing backlash in the region – Albawaba.com
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