Deal to make Blair Mideast envoy remains on hold
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JERUSALEM -- Western powers struggled yesterday to finalize a role for outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair as Middle East envoy in their bid to revive peace prospects after Islamist Hamas's takeover of the Gaza Strip.
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The prime minister, Tony Blair, right, with his Israeli counterpart, Ariel Sharon, at a Jerusalem press conference. Photograph: Oded Balilty/AP.
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Western powers struggled on Tuesday to finalize a role for outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair as Middle East envoy in their bid to revive peace prospects after Islamist Hamas's takeover of the Gaza Strip.
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The four powers sponsoring the stagnant Middle East peace process met on Tuesday for the first time since Hamas seized Gaza, amid mounting speculation they could anoint outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair as their envoy.
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WASHINGTON -- In his new role as Middle East envoy, Tony Blair will be charged with shoring up Palestinian institutions, but not with trying to nail down a peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians because Condoleezza Rice, the secretary of state, is handling that job herself, administration officials said yesterday.
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BRIGHTON, England  - Britain appealed on Thursday  to kidnappers holding a hostage in Iraq to make contact but  ruled out doing a deal as Prime Minister Tony Blair failed to  shift the country's focus off the divisive war.
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British Prime Minister Tony Blair offered Wednesday to host a one-day Mideast conference in the new year to help rehabilitate the battered Palestinian Authority, encourage reform and serve as a bridge to renewed peace talks, stalled by four years of violence.
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Tony Blair has refused to give a clear indication of support for chancellor of the exchequer Gordon Brown as his successor, despite repeated questions on the subject.
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Middle East mediators held talks that could clear the way for the appointment of Tony Blair on Tuesday as their envoy to try to revive peace prospects after Hamas Islamists seized control of the Gaza Strip.
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Tony Blair said Tuesday he is ready to help bring about a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian issue, amid claims he is to become an envoy to the region after stepping down as British prime minister.
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International Mideast negotiators on Tuesday searched for ways to revive peace talks after Hamas' takeover of the Gaza Strip, and U.S. officials said they were expected to name outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair as a senior envoy.
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The international coalition pushing for Middle East peace awaited an update Sunday from its envoy, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and considered developments after Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's recent trip to the region.
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DAVOS, Switzerland  - Middle East peace envoy Tony Blair said he believes both Israelis and Palestinians want peace and a deal can be brokered by the end of this year.
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Western powers have agreed to name outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair as Middle East envoy, as a bid to revive peace prospects after Islamist Hamas's takeover of Gaza, an official in Washington said on Tuesday.
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Western powers have agreed to name  outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair as Middle East  envoy, as a bid to revive peace prospects after Islamist  Hamas&#39;s takeover of Gaza, an official in Washington said on  Tuesday.
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British Prime Minister Tony Blair has refused to give a clear indication of support for finance minister Gordon Brown as his successor, despite repeated questions on the subject.
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LONDON: Talk about a Middle East peace conference in London early next year is &quot;premature,&quot; a spokesman for British Prime Minister Tony Blair said last night.