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Blair attends first Quartet talks Blair attends first Quartet talks
(about 6 hours later)
Tony Blair is set to formally begin his new role as an envoy for the Middle East by attending a meeting in Lisbon. Tony Blair is beginning his new role as an envoy for the Middle East at a meeting of the Quartet group in Lisbon.
The Quartet group, made up of the EU, the US, Russia and the UN, hopes to move towards restarting peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. The Quartet, made up of the EU, the US, Russia and the UN, hopes to move towards restarting peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
It is the group's first meeting since the Islamic militant group Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip last month.It is the group's first meeting since the Islamic militant group Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip last month.
Mr Blair's mandate is limited to helping the Palestinians to develop their institutions and economy. Before the meeting, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice rejected dealing with Hamas until it recognised Israel.
But hopes are high in some circles that the former British prime minister, who stepped down last month, will be able to make real progress toward peace. "We have a very good partner in Mahmoud Abbas, who after all is the elected president of the Palestinian people," Ms Rice said.
Mr Blair takes up the role days after US President George W Bush called for a new push for peace in the Middle East. "It makes very good sense to work with him and Hamas, I think, knows what is expected for international respectability."
'Basic needs' Her remarks were echoed by Portuguese Foreign Minister Luis Amado, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the EU.
The talks in Portugal, which currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, will bring together UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "I see no conditions at the moment to engage [in] new relations with Hamas without a new position from them," he said.
Mr Solana said the primary task for the Quartet was to help build up Palestinian institutions. Limited mandate
"What is very important is to have the Palestinians better organised, the structure of the Palestinian Authority today, a state tomorrow, better established also," he told the BBC. The Quartet wants Hamas to recognise Israel's right to exist, renounce terrorism and sign up to past agreements with Israel.
But the director of the Palestinian Human Rights Centre in Gaza, Raji Sourani, said the focus should be on basic requirements before talking about institution building. Also at the UN talks are UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
"There are what we call basic needs: the right to food; the right to life; the right to freedom of movement; the right to communicate with the other side of our nation," he said. Hamas received fresh criticism from Ms Rice and Mr AmadoMr Blair's mandate is limited to helping the Palestinians to develop their institutions and economy.
Mr Blair's appointment last month was been welcomed by Israel and the Palestinian Authority, led by Mahmoud Abbas whose Fatah faction controls the West Bank. But if Mr Blair wants to be more than a fringe player in the Middle East, says the BBC's Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen, he will have to get Israel, the Palestinians and the Quartet members talking about final status issues.
These include the position of Israel's permanent borders, Jewish settlements on Palestinian territory and the fate of Palestinian refugees.
There is also the status of Jerusalem, claimed by Israel as its capital, but where the Palestinians also want to make their capital.
Mr Blair's appointment last month was welcomed by Israel and the Palestinian Authority, led by Mr Abbas whose Fatah faction controls the West Bank.
However, Hamas said Mr Blair had not been honest or helpful while prime minister, because of his position during Israel's war against Hezbollah in Lebanon and the invasion of Iraq.However, Hamas said Mr Blair had not been honest or helpful while prime minister, because of his position during Israel's war against Hezbollah in Lebanon and the invasion of Iraq.
President Bush has called for a peace conference later this year that would involve the US, Israel and some of its Arab neighbours. Mr Blair takes up the role days after US President George W Bush called for a new push for peace in the Middle East.
He called for a peace conference later this year that would involve the US, Israel and some of its Arab neighbours.