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Beginning his first working visit on Tuesday, the Quartet's Middle East envoy Tony Blair was expected to press for easing hardships and improving living conditions in the West Bank ahead of a meeting of Mideast mediators. After talks in Egypt with President Hosni Mubarak, the former British leader met Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for dinner and planned extensive talks with other senior officials during his 10-day stay, Israeli officials said. Blair also requested intelligence briefings on Israel's security concerns. Blair's office said in a statement he would have detailed discussions with Israelis and Palestinians on a range of economic and security issues. Israeli officials have been telling reporters that the visit is exploratory in nature and no breakthroughs should be expected, but Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said Blair had a vital job in efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "For peace to exist there has to be a stable and healthy Palestinian state," he said. "Blair has a crucial job in helping the Palestinians create the institutions and the mechanisms, and we support him in that mission." Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat welcomed Blair's visit. "We hope that Mr. Blair will enable us to begin a revival of our economy and to improved movement," he said. Palestinians complain that dozens of Israeli army roadblocks in the West Bank have severely harmed their economy and impeded their lives. Israel insists they are necessary for security. Blair's official mandate directs him only to work to improve living conditions and Palestinian government efficiency in the West Bank, instead of dealing with stalled peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. but since the Quartet is the sponsor of the road map plan for establishing a Palestinian state, it's assumed Blair would be involved in negotiations if they were to resume. After resigning as Britain's Prime Minister in June, Blair was appointed envoy for the Quartet of the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia. The foursome sponsored the road map peace plan published in 2003 but negotiations over the proposal to create a Palestinian state in stages never progressed beyond the first stage. Blair's predecessor as mediator, former World Bank head James Wolfensohn, resigned in frustration in 2005.To read more go to:
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