Former US VP Cheney says he had secret resignation letter

WASHINGTON - Former US vice-president Dick Cheney signed a secret resignation letter shortly after taking office in 2001 and kept it in a safe, according to an excerpt of an NBC interview released on Wednesday.

Cheney, who has a long history of heart disease, said concern about a possible health crisis was one of the main reasons he kept the letter. Former president George W. Bush knew about it and so did a Cheney staff member.

"I did it because I was concerned ... for a couple of reasons," Cheney said.