26 May 2011

Tony Blair still hopeful on Middle East peace process

In an exclusive interview the former Prime Minister warns Channel 4 News that a Palestinian move towards a unilateral declaration of statehood is no substitute for negotiations with Israel.

Despite the immediate rejection by the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of President Obama’s call in a recent speech for a re-institution of 1967 Israeli borders, Mr Blair – who has acted as a peace envoy in the Middle East for the past 4 years – insisted there was still room for negotiations between the Israeli and Palestinian Authorities.

Mr Blair said it was too early to tell how the recent rapprochement between the Palestinian Hamas and Fatah parties would affect the peace process, but warned that “it could be positive if there is a genuine reconciliation around principles that promote peace”. But in the light of the Palestinians’ declared intention to petition the United Nations to recognise its statehood this September if there is no progress in the peace process, Mr Blair said that with a big build-up likely towards that date, it was important “we try and define a framework to move forwards … otherwise people get into unilateral gestures … and it’s not a substitue for a negotiation.”

On Syria

Asked why the international community appear to have acted in a much less vigorous manner in relation to Syria than it has toward the Libyan regime of colonel Gaddafi, Mr Blair said that while it was hard to draw up a set of clear principles in terms of dealing with foreign regimes, he believed that regimes where there is a prospect of evolution over time to a better, more democratic system should be given a chance, unlike those that are oppressing their people without any prospect of greater prosperity or freedom.

Conceding that their are messy compromises to be made, he said: “if you take Syria particularly … probably most people are saying we have no faith left in President Assad to bring about change there, but for a time at least people were prepared to look at that.”