montag
22-06-2007, 02:46 AM
US beckons Blair for key Middle East role
THE United States is pressing retiring British Prime Minister Tony Blair to become a special envoy to the Middle East, representing the diplomatic "quartet" of world powers.
The appointment would be the most visible attempt at laying the groundwork for a Palestinian state since former US president Bill Clinton wrangled with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israel's Ehud Barak during the waning hours of his administration in 2001.
The proposal has been endorsed by President George Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
If it goes ahead, and if Mr Blair, who leaves office next week, accepts, he would work on behalf of the US, the European Union, the United Nations, and Russia to help Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas build the institutions and apparatus necessary for a viable state.
The proposal shows the renewed urgency in dealing with the changed political landscape brought on by Hamas' takeover in Gaza. The power shift there has focused efforts on the West Bank, where Mr Abbas and Fatah retain control.
European and US officials said the only grumbling about the possible Blair appointment had come from Russia, which has had contentious relations with Britain recently, including accusations over the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko, a former KGB officer and a Kremlin critic who died in London in November 2006.
But diplomats on both sides of the Atlantic said if Mr Blair wanted the job, it was unlikely that Russia would seek to block the appointment.
The Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs, David Welch, met Mr Blair on Wednesday to present the case.
Israeli and Bush Administration officials said Mr Bush had spoken with Mr Blair about the proposal, and discussed it on Tuesday with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Israeli officials said Mr Olmert was keen on the idea. British officials said Mr Blair had not decided whether he would take on the task, and bristled that public comments from the Bush Administration were premature.
Mr Blair has said he has no idea what he will do after leaving office. However, he is known to be interested in taking a variety of roles on the world stage, particularly ones involving efforts to broker peace in the Middle East, fight poverty in Africa, and combat global warming.
It remains unclear how broad Mr Blair's role would be. US and Israeli officials want him to focus primarily on shoring up Palestinian institutions and governance, economic development and security issues in the West Bank.
US officials said Dr Rice would continue to try to work with Mr Olmert and Mr Abbas on a separate track that addresses the "final status" issues that have bedevilled peace negotiators since 1979: Jerusalem's future, a Palestinian state's borders, and what to do about Palestinian refugees who fled, or were forced to leave, homes in Israel.
Israel, in the past, has been more squeamish about discussing those issues, but that may be changing. Mr Olmert indicated in meetings at the White House on Tuesday that now that Mr Abbas had dissolved the national unity government and separated politically from Hamas, Israel was ready to act.
While Mr Olmert cautioned against moving too fast on "final status" issues, he said he planned to look for ways to empower Mr Abbas, US Administration officials said, including releasing tax revenues that Israel had been keeping from the Palestinians.
NEW YORK TIMES, GUARDIAN
THE United States is pressing retiring British Prime Minister Tony Blair to become a special envoy to the Middle East, representing the diplomatic "quartet" of world powers.
The appointment would be the most visible attempt at laying the groundwork for a Palestinian state since former US president Bill Clinton wrangled with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israel's Ehud Barak during the waning hours of his administration in 2001.
The proposal has been endorsed by President George Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
If it goes ahead, and if Mr Blair, who leaves office next week, accepts, he would work on behalf of the US, the European Union, the United Nations, and Russia to help Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas build the institutions and apparatus necessary for a viable state.
The proposal shows the renewed urgency in dealing with the changed political landscape brought on by Hamas' takeover in Gaza. The power shift there has focused efforts on the West Bank, where Mr Abbas and Fatah retain control.
European and US officials said the only grumbling about the possible Blair appointment had come from Russia, which has had contentious relations with Britain recently, including accusations over the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko, a former KGB officer and a Kremlin critic who died in London in November 2006.
But diplomats on both sides of the Atlantic said if Mr Blair wanted the job, it was unlikely that Russia would seek to block the appointment.
The Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs, David Welch, met Mr Blair on Wednesday to present the case.
Israeli and Bush Administration officials said Mr Bush had spoken with Mr Blair about the proposal, and discussed it on Tuesday with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Israeli officials said Mr Olmert was keen on the idea. British officials said Mr Blair had not decided whether he would take on the task, and bristled that public comments from the Bush Administration were premature.
Mr Blair has said he has no idea what he will do after leaving office. However, he is known to be interested in taking a variety of roles on the world stage, particularly ones involving efforts to broker peace in the Middle East, fight poverty in Africa, and combat global warming.
It remains unclear how broad Mr Blair's role would be. US and Israeli officials want him to focus primarily on shoring up Palestinian institutions and governance, economic development and security issues in the West Bank.
US officials said Dr Rice would continue to try to work with Mr Olmert and Mr Abbas on a separate track that addresses the "final status" issues that have bedevilled peace negotiators since 1979: Jerusalem's future, a Palestinian state's borders, and what to do about Palestinian refugees who fled, or were forced to leave, homes in Israel.
Israel, in the past, has been more squeamish about discussing those issues, but that may be changing. Mr Olmert indicated in meetings at the White House on Tuesday that now that Mr Abbas had dissolved the national unity government and separated politically from Hamas, Israel was ready to act.
While Mr Olmert cautioned against moving too fast on "final status" issues, he said he planned to look for ways to empower Mr Abbas, US Administration officials said, including releasing tax revenues that Israel had been keeping from the Palestinians.
NEW YORK TIMES, GUARDIAN