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Blair to set out Middle East hope Turkey's EU membership 'crucial'
(about 1 hour later)
Tony Blair is expected to outline his hopes for progress in the Middle East peace process while on the first leg of a visit to the region. Turkey's membership of the European Union is fundamental to the Middle East peace process, Tony Blair has said.
The UK prime minister began his tour in Turkey where he held talks with his counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and they will address reporters later. The prime minister said he is a "strong supporter" of the country's bid to join the union and believes it is in a strategically important position.
Mr Blair views Turkey as crucial to peace in the Middle East and supports their European Union membership bid. Mr Blair spoke as he began a Middle East tour aimed at kick-starting the Israeli and Palestinian peace process.
His tour is aimed at kick-starting the Israeli and Palestinian peace process. His counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said he was committed to finding a solution of the conflict.
On Friday Mr Blair said it was of "immense strategic importance" for Britain and Europe that momentum was restored to efforts to find a solution of the conflict. Speaking in the capital Ankara, Mr Blair said: "Turkey is placed right between the Middle East and Europe and if we needed no other reminder of the strategic importance of Turkey to the European Union it is what is happening in the Middle East today ".
Aides said the prime minister would use the trip to explore the possibilities for "unbarring the door" to progress in the peace process, which he is understood to see as the key for a wider resolution of tensions in the region as a whole, including Iraq. Nothing was more important in the Middle East and the rest of the world than the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians and the next few weeks and months were crucial, he said.
Turkey is important in terms of its influence and its connections within the Middle East Tony Blair's spokesman He earlier praised Turkey's leadership and said the country's membership was also "of fundamental importance to the future of Europe".
Mr Blair's official spokesman said: "This is about getting momentum, stepping up a gear to try to get things moving on Israel [and] Palestine.
"Part of that is exploring the choice which really confronts Palestine, first of all, which is how do they actually move from the status quo to the reality of trying to get a Palestinian state established?"
Although no major breakthrough is expected during Mr Blair's visit, the UK will aim to play a "facilitating and helpful role" in establishing a sense of direction about what the next steps in the peace process might be, the spokesman said.
When Mr Blair arrived in the country, his spokesman said: "Turkey is important in terms of its influence and its connections within the Middle East as a whole and therefore the influence it can bring to bear on Israel/Palestine."
Suspending talksSuspending talks
Mr Blair arrived in Turkey on Friday after attending a two-day EU summit in Brussels. Mr Erdogan called the EU's decision to partially freeze talks with his country as a "great injustice".
The Brussels summit approved a partial freeze on Turkey's entry into the EU. Mr Blair arrived in Turkey on Friday after attending a two-day EU summit in Brussels where the partial freeze was agreed.
EU foreign ministers have decided to suspend accession talks with Turkey on eight of the 35 areas that candidates are required to complete. EU foreign ministers decided to suspend accession talks with Turkey on eight of the 35 areas that candidates are required to complete.
It follows Turkey's refusal to open its sea and air ports to EU member Cyprus, under a customs union pact it signed with the bloc last year.It follows Turkey's refusal to open its sea and air ports to EU member Cyprus, under a customs union pact it signed with the bloc last year.
But Mr Blair has been a strong supporter of Turkish EU membership describing it as being "in the interests of Europe, in the interests of Britain and in the interests of Turkey". But Mr Erdogan told the press conference his country was committed to reforms which would allow it entry into Europe.
Peace process
Aides had earlier said the prime minister would be using his trip to explore the possibilities for "unbarring the door" to progress in the peace process, which he is understood to see as the key for a wider resolution of tensions in the region as a whole, including Iraq.
On Friday Mr Blair's official spokesman said: "This is about getting momentum, stepping up a gear to try to get things moving on Israel [and] Palestine.
"Part of that is exploring the choice which really confronts Palestine, first of all, which is how do they actually move from the status quo to the reality of trying to get a Palestinian state established?"
Although no major breakthrough is expected during Mr Blair's visit, the UK will aim to play a "facilitating and helpful role" in establishing a sense of direction about what the next steps in the peace process might be, the spokesman said.
Mr Blair is going on to visit Cairo in Egypt after leaving Turkey.