MIDDLE EAST:Western powers struggled yesterday to finalise a role for outgoing British prime minister Tony Blair as Middle East envoy.
Russian foot-dragging was delaying a statement from the so-called Quartet mediators, the US, the EU, Russia and the UN, diplomats said.
"Stay tuned," US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice told reporters when asked if Mr Blair was to be named Quartet envoy. "I certainly hope that this role is going to be filled because I think it is very important," Ms Rice said.
The EU's Middle East envoy, Marc Otte, told reporters after the group met in Jerusalem that Mr Blair was the only candidate under consideration but that the Quartet was awaiting final approval from Russia. Britain's inquiry into the murder in London of a former Soviet agent has soured relations between London and Moscow.
Mr Blair, who steps down as prime minister today, gave his clearest indication yet that he wants the job, saying that he was ready, in principle, to try to help bring an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The US and Israel want to isolate Hamas in the Gaza Strip, which the Islamists seized by force two weeks ago, and bolster the emergency government that Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas formed in the occupied West Bank after he sacked a Hamas-led cabinet.
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov criticised what he called the "divide and conquer" policy that has left Hamas in control of Gaza and Mr Abbas's secular Fatah in control of the West Bank. "A divided Palestine is a problem for Israel and the region," Mr Lavrov said in Tel Aviv.
A key issue was how big a mandate to grant Mr Blair, diplomats said. The previous envoy focused on economic issues rather than negotiations to revive talks on Palestinian statehood. Ms Rice said the Quartet envisaged Mr Blair focusing on building the institutions for a Palestinian state.
Mr Blair has the backing of Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert and Mr Abbas, but some Quartet diplomats have raised questions about Mr Blair's ability to garner broad Palestinian and Arab public support because of his leading role in the Iraq war.
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhmoum said Mr Blair was not welcome because he supported "the Zionist occupation's terrorism against our people".