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| Blair chairs first Quartet talks | Blair chairs first Quartet talks |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Tony Blair is set to formally begin his new role as an envoy for the Middle East by chairing a meeting in Lisbon. | Tony Blair is set to formally begin his new role as an envoy for the Middle East by chairing a meeting in Lisbon. |
| The Quartet group, made up of the EU, the US, Russia and the UN, hopes to move towards restarting peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. | The Quartet group, made up of the EU, the US, Russia and the UN, hopes to move towards restarting peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. |
| It is the group's first meeting since the Islamic militant group Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip last month. | It is the group's first meeting since the Islamic militant group Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip last month. |
| Mr Blair's mandate is limited to helping the Palestinians to develop their institutions and economy. | Mr Blair's mandate is limited to helping the Palestinians to develop their institutions and economy. |
| But hopes are high in some circles that the former British prime minister, who stepped down last month, will be able to make real progress toward peace. | |
| Mr Blair takes up the role days after US President George W Bush called for a new push for peace in the Middle East. | Mr Blair takes up the role days after US President George W Bush called for a new push for peace in the Middle East. |
| 'New boost' | |
| The talks in Portugal, which currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, will bring together UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. | The talks in Portugal, which currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, will bring together UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. |
| Portuguese Foreign Minister Luis Amado said this week he hoped the meeting would give "a new boost" to the stalled peace process. | Portuguese Foreign Minister Luis Amado said this week he hoped the meeting would give "a new boost" to the stalled peace process. |
| Mr Blair's appointment last month was been welcomed by Israel and the Palestinian Authority, led by Mahmoud Abbas whose Fatah faction controls the West Bank. | Mr Blair's appointment last month was been welcomed by Israel and the Palestinian Authority, led by Mahmoud Abbas whose Fatah faction controls the West Bank. |
| However, Hamas said Mr Blair had not been honest or helpful while prime minister, because of his position during Israel's war against Hezbollah in Lebanon and the invasion of Iraq. | |
| President Bush has called for a peace conference later this year that would involve the US, Israel and some of its Arab neighbours. | President Bush has called for a peace conference later this year that would involve the US, Israel and some of its Arab neighbours. |