This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2007, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Updated: 3:46 PM- Vice President Dick Cheney's first stop in Utah Thursday was the LDS Church's Administration Building in Salt Lake City, where he paid a courtesy call on Mormon president Gordon B. Hinckley and his two counselors in the governing First Presidency, Thomas S. Monson and James E. Faust.

Hinckley's secretary, F. Michael Watson was also present, said LDS spokesman Scott Trotter.

Neither the White House nor Trotter would confirm any details of the nearly 30-minute meeting.

This was at least Cheney's second meeting with Hinckley, who is nearing his 97th birthday. The first time was in August 2001, when the two attended the ground-breaking for a new wing at the Huntsman Cancer Institute. Cheney is a longtime friend and fishing buddy of Utah philanthropist Jon Huntsman Sr.

Hinckley has never commented publicly on the protests about Cheney's visit to LDS Church-owned Brigham Young University. However, on the eve of the Iraq war in 2003, Hinckley discussed different views among Mormons across the globe of the impending crisis.

"We are now a world church with members in most of the nations which have argued this matter," Hinckley told millions of Mormons watching the church's 173 Annual General Conference. "There have been demonstrations for and against. ... In a democracy we can renounce war and proclaim peace. There is opportunity for dissent. Many have been speaking out and doing so emphatically. That is their privilege. That is their right, so long as they do so legally."

He urged the Mormon faithful to treat those of opposing opinions with respect.

"Let us never become a party to words or works of evil concerning our brothers and sisters of the church in various nations on one side or the other," Hinckley said. "Political differences never justify hatred or ill will."

Cheney will give the commencement address at Brigham Young University sometime after 4 p.m.

He arrived in Utah, aboard Air Force Two a little after 2 p.m. Cheney, accompanied by Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, on the flight, spent a couple of minutes shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries with local leaders such as Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. and state Republican chairwoman Enid Greene, before heading to LDS Church headquarters.

After meeting with Mormon leaders, Cheney's 11-car vice presidential motorcade drove on to Provo, where Cheney will give the commencement address at BYU.

In all, Cheney only plans to be in Utah for four hours. Protests either in favor or against his visit started hours before Cheney landed and are expected to run well into the night, including a speech by former Green Party Presidential Candidate Ralph Nader.

Cannon said he did not talk to Cheney about the controversy surrounding his visit during the flight to Salt Lake City, though Cannon called the protests "highly irrelevant."