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Blair to meet Palestinian leader

Sun Sep 10 07:30:06 UTC 2006

Blair to meet Palestinian leader

Sun Sep 10 08:00:05 UTC 2006
Tony Blair is to meet the president of the Palestinian Authority on the second day of his visit to the Middle East. Tony Blair is to meet the president of the Palestinian Authority on the second day of his visit to the Middle East.
The prime minister's meeting with Mahmoud Abbas comes a day after he met the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.The prime minister's meeting with Mahmoud Abbas comes a day after he met the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
Mr Olmert said he was ready to meet the Palestinian leader to advance peace efforts. It follows Mr Abbas's calls for fresh negotiations with Israel.Mr Olmert said he was ready to meet the Palestinian leader to advance peace efforts. It follows Mr Abbas's calls for fresh negotiations with Israel.
Mr Blair will not be meeting the leaders of the Hamas-controlled Palestinian government.Mr Blair will not be meeting the leaders of the Hamas-controlled Palestinian government.
Britain, like the rest of the EU, is boycotting the Hamas administration. Britain, like the rest of the EU, is boycotting the Hamas administration.
The prime minister's visit to the Middle East comes amid the continuing row over when he leaves office. The prime minister's visit to the Middle East comes amid the continuing row over when he leaves office.
There is a widespread contempt for Mr Blair among Palestinians
BBC correspondent Alan Johnston
Brown offers challenge to critics 		There is a crisis. The economy is level zero
Hamas spokesman Ghazi Hamad
Brown offers challenge to critics
Mr Blair said the stability of the Middle East was essential to the rest of the world, including the UK. Mr Blair said the stability of the Middle East was essential to the rest of the world, including the UK.
Speaking of the recent Lebanon conflict, Mr Blair said he wanted to work to make sure the UN resolution which ended the conflict was fully implemented. Speaking of the recent Lebanon conflict, Mr Blair said he wanted to work to make sure the UN resolution which ended the conflict was fully implemented.
Mr Olmert said he was ready to begin talks with Mr Abbas to advance peace efforts.Mr Olmert said he was ready to begin talks with Mr Abbas to advance peace efforts.
The EU has insisted Hamas recognises Israel's right to exist before there can be any dialogue with the administration. The EU has insisted Hamas recognises Israel's right to exist before there can be any dialogue with the administration.
There have been protests in the West Bank town of Hebron
But Hamas argues the real problem has been Mr Blair's attachment to the US, which it says views the Middle East from Israel's perspective. But Hamas argues the real problem has been Mr Blair's attachment to the US, which it says views the Middle East from Israel's perspective.
BBC news correspondent Alan Johnston said Mr Abbas's camp would "welcome Mr Blair's efforts to re-energise the peace process".Civil servants, including teachers, have gone on strike because of wage freezes prompted by the EU boycott.
"There is a crisis. The economy is level zero. The security situation is very hard," Hamas spokesman Ghazi Hamad told the news agency AFP.
The BBC's Alan Johnston, in the West Bank, said Mr Abbas's camp would "welcome Mr Blair's efforts to re-energise the peace process".
But he added: "There is a widespread contempt for Mr Blair among Palestinians. But he added: "There is a widespread contempt for Mr Blair among Palestinians.
"They regard him as having done virtually nothing to support their efforts to end the Israeli occupation here.""They regard him as having done virtually nothing to support their efforts to end the Israeli occupation here."