Washington, DC: From left: Fran Townsend, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, NSC Senior Director for European Affairs Judy Ansley, White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten, and Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Karen Hughes, attend the rededication ceremony of the Islamic Center of Washington during its 50th anniversary 27 June 2007 in Washington, DC. The mosque was originally dedicated 28 June 1957 upon completion. (Photo credit: MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)
Blair's Role as Envoy Gets Cold Reception The Financial Times
Mr Steinmeier told journalists in Berlin that the Blair nomination had been proposed and discussed “outside the context of the Quartet, so it is natural that this does not appeal to the membership of the Quartet”.
Rather than a high-profile negotiating role, Mr Blair would be “limited” to “institution building in, and political strengthening of, the Palestinian Authority”. This was because “the Quartet itself wants to keep control of the political task of helping shape the Middle East peace process”.
Washington nominated Mr Blair without the issue being fully discussed by Quartet members.
German officials said the extra time required by Russia to give its support for the nomination was linked to the lack of consultation.
Relations between Mr Blair and Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, have worsened considerably in recent months, not least because of the dispute between Russia and the UK over the murder in London of Alexander Litvinenko, the former KGB agent turned British citizen.
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