Tony Blair expected to step back from role as Middle East peace envoy

Tony Blair is relinquishing his post as the envoy for the Middle East Quartet to take a different role in the peace negotiations, the Financial Times reported on Sunday, citing people it said were familiar with the matter.

Blair, at the helm of the Quartet for nearly eight years, intends to reshape his role in the Quartet and remain part of the peace process, the report said.

The former prime minister of the UK met US Secretary of State John Kerry and spoke to Federica Mogherini, the European Union's foreign affairs chief, to discuss a possible job change, the paper said. A clarification on Blair's role is expected to come later this week.

A source close to Blair told Reuters that discussions about his role are ongoing. His role is likely to be more regional and he will continue to work on the Palestinian economy, the source added.

The Middle East Quartet, comprising the United States, the United Nations, the European Union and Russia, has been seeking to mediate in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since 2002.

Earlier in March, officials close to Blair denied there was talk of him stepping down.

The offices of Kerry and Mogherini did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.

News
Being people of peace
Being people of peace

It would be fair to say that the pace and complexity of life works against us finding any peace.

Christians and religious nones alike object to AI-generated social media videos
Christians and religious nones alike object to AI-generated social media videos

Evangelicals, nones and non-denominational Christians reject AI-generated videos, a new study has found.

What we don’t know about Christmas
What we don’t know about Christmas

Every Christmas people are bombarded with images of the Nativity in Christmas cards, the lyrics of songs and Nativity plays. Yet many of the images embedded in our minds are pure tradition. In fact, there is a lot that we do not know. This is the story … 

Richard Moth appointed as new Archbishop of Westminster
Richard Moth appointed as new Archbishop of Westminster

Bishop Richard Moth has been confirmed as the new Archbishop of Westminster, the most senior post in the Catholic Church in England and Wales.