Tony Blair will be moving to Jerusalem to become the Quartet’s special peace envoy to the Middle East. Representatives from the diplomatic grouping of the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations agreed on the appointment at a meeting today in Jerusalem. Blair s biggest advocate for the appointment was President Bush, but Russia reportedly dragged its feet due to its strained ties with Britain of late. The post of special envoy had been vacant for more than a year. “I think that anybody who cares about greater peace and stability in the world knows that a lasting and enduring resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian issue is essential,” Blair said. “As I have said on many occasions, I would do whatever I could to help such a resolution come about.” Blair’s new post will be based in Jerusalem, with a potential second office in the West Bank. A major part of his job will be working with the Palestinians on security, economics and governance.
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