International Mideast negotiators, trying to breathe new life into the peace process after Hamas' takeover of the Gaza Strip, will name outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair as a senior envoy to the region, according to an American official.
Representatives of the so-called Quartet of Mideast peacemakers -- from U.S., EU, UN and Russia -- will announce that Blair has agreed to take the post in statements from their capitals and New York, a senior U.S. official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
The statements, which will be issued simultaneously, are still being drafted.
The senior U.S. official said the quartet had agreed on a job description for the special envoy position that Blair will assume after leaving office as British prime minister on Wednesday.
He also disputed reports from the Israeli media that Russia was delaying the official announcement.
"The Russians are the least enthusiastic about creating the position and least enthusiastic about Blair, but they didn't object," the official said. "No one objected."
The American official told AP that Blair's post will mainly deal with helping the Palestinian Authority build political institutions.
His job will not -- at least for now -- include mediation between the Palestinians and Israelis.
The position is likely to be unpaid, but will come with staff and logistical support, similar to a comparable post held by former World Bank chief James Wolfensohn.
The three-hour meeting at the American Consulate in Jerusalem followed Monday's summit of Palestinian, Egyptian and Jordanian leaders at an Egyptian sea resort, who demonstrated a unified stance against Hamas.
Details of the Tuesday meeting were scarce, but U.S. representative, Assistant Secretary of State David Welch, later told reporters in the West Bank town of Ramallah that the Quartet meeting "went well."
Blair dodged questions about the appointment on Tuesday during a meeting with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in London.
"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 proposed appointment comes on the heels of intensive lobbying from the U.S., despite skepticism about how his appointment will be received by Palestinians.
"He's not an obvious choice because he is associated in the minds of many people with the interests of one side," Professor Rodney Barker from the London School of Economics told CTV Newsnet on Tuesday.
"He was unusual in his response (last year) to the Israeli attacks on Lebanon in being about the only voice within Europe not calling for an immediate cease fire," Barker said.
Barker said Blair is well-known in the Middle East, especially for his close association with U.S. President George Bush and his support of the war in Iraq.
However, Blair is viewed as the top choice for among a short list of alternatives, especially for his unflinching efforts to negotiate peace in Northern Ireland.
"He is very skilled negotiator, he's very persuasive, he's very articulate, he's very hard working," Barker said.
Both Israeli and Palestinian officials expressed hope at the prospect of Blair's involvement.
"Tony Blair is a very well-appreciated figure in Israel," said Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.
Fahmi al-Zaarer, a spokesman for Abbas' Fatah movement, said the Palestinians would welcome Blair.
"We believe that Mr. Blair's efforts would help ... revive the political process."
If appointed, Blair will most likely be responsible for trying to persuade the Palestinians to accept the conditions that would end the international boycott of Hamas.
Monday's summit in Egypt at the Red Sea resort was meant to show support for embattled Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whose government was weakened after Hamas waged a bloody battle in the Gaza Strip.
During the high-profile gathering, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert agreed to the release of 250 Fatah prisoners held in Israeli jails and agreed to "substantially" improve Palestinian movement in the West Bank by lifting some of the hundreds of Israeli checkpoints and roadblocks in the area.
With files from the Associated Press
