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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Envoy Blair arrives in Mid-East | Envoy Blair arrives in Mid-East |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Tony Blair has arrived in Jordan at the start of his first visit to the Middle East as special envoy to the region. | Tony Blair has arrived in Jordan at the start of his first visit to the Middle East as special envoy to the region. |
| The former PM, whose general mandate involves trying to build foundations for a Palestinian state, will also visit Israel and the West Bank. | |
| Last week, he said he hoped momentum could be regained in the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process. | Last week, he said he hoped momentum could be regained in the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process. |
| He will act on behalf of the Quartet of Middle East negotiators: the European Union, United Nations, US and Russia. | He will act on behalf of the Quartet of Middle East negotiators: the European Union, United Nations, US and Russia. |
| But Mr Blair's mandate is limited, and many Palestinians are sceptical he can make a difference, correspondents say. | But Mr Blair's mandate is limited, and many Palestinians are sceptical he can make a difference, correspondents say. |
| He is expected to meet Israel's foreign and defence ministers as well as a top American diplomat in Jerusalem on Monday before talks on Tuesday with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem and with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah. | He is expected to meet Israel's foreign and defence ministers as well as a top American diplomat in Jerusalem on Monday before talks on Tuesday with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem and with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah. |
| Big issues | Big issues |
| Mr Blair's remit is to encourage reform, economic development and institution-building in the Palestinian territories, to prepare Palestinians for eventually running their own independent state. | Mr Blair's remit is to encourage reform, economic development and institution-building in the Palestinian territories, to prepare Palestinians for eventually running their own independent state. |
| That is a big enough challenge, correspondents say. | That is a big enough challenge, correspondents say. |
| 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. | 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. | These include the position of Israel's permanent borders, Jewish settlements on Palestinian territory and the fate of Palestinian refugees. |
| Mr Blair says he is optimistic for the future of the PalestiniansThere is also the status of Jerusalem, claimed by Israel as its capital, but where the Palestinians also want to make their capital. | Mr Blair says he is optimistic for the future of the PalestiniansThere 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 in June was welcomed by Israel and the Palestinian Authority, led by Mahmoud Abbas, whose Fatah faction controls the West Bank. | Mr Blair's appointment in June was welcomed by Israel and the Palestinian Authority, led by Mahmoud Abbas, whose Fatah faction controls the West Bank. |
| However, the rival Hamas faction, which controls the Gaza Strip, said Mr Blair had not been honest or helpful while prime minister, because of his positions during Israel's war against Hezbollah in Lebanon and the invasion of Iraq. | However, the rival Hamas faction, which controls the Gaza Strip, said Mr Blair had not been honest or helpful while prime minister, because of his positions during Israel's war against Hezbollah in Lebanon and the invasion of Iraq. |
| Mr Blair's mandate does not allow him to talk to Hamas - which the US blacklists as a terrorist group - even though it was elected to government by the Palestinian people last year. | Mr Blair's mandate does not allow him to talk to Hamas - which the US blacklists as a terrorist group - even though it was elected to government by the Palestinian people last year. |
| Optimist | Optimist |
| Attending last week's meeting of the Middle East Quartet in Lisbon, Mr Blair said that he planned to "listen, to absorb and to reflect" during his visit to the Middle East before putting forward any proposals. | Attending last week's meeting of the Middle East Quartet in Lisbon, Mr Blair said that he planned to "listen, to absorb and to reflect" during his visit to the Middle East before putting forward any proposals. |
| "There is a sense that we can regain momentum. That is the crucial thing. | "There is a sense that we can regain momentum. That is the crucial thing. |
| "If we are able to regain that momentum then a whole lot of things become possible, not least the fact that those people of peace can then feel that the force is with them, and not with those who want conflict." | "If we are able to regain that momentum then a whole lot of things become possible, not least the fact that those people of peace can then feel that the force is with them, and not with those who want conflict." |
| Mr Blair also said it was important to work towards a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian problem - with Israel confident of its security, and a Palestine with viable institutions. | Mr Blair also said it was important to work towards a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian problem - with Israel confident of its security, and a Palestine with viable institutions. |
| He said he was an optimist, and would probably need that quality in the months ahead. | He said he was an optimist, and would probably need that quality in the months ahead. |