British Prime Minister Tony Blair launched a personal quest Wednesday to bring peace to the Middle East, detailing plans for a Palestinian statehood conference in London in March. Following a busy day of negotiations with Israeli and Palestinian leaders in Jerusalem and the West Bank, Blair unveiled details of the proposed gathering, designed to be mainly "practical", according to a British statement.
Blair insisted that the event did not compete with the internationally drafted roadmap, which aims to create a Palestinian state in 2005.
"It is not, and cannot be a substitute for a conference under the roadmap," he said at a news conference with Israeli counterpart Ariel Sharon, after talks in Jerusalem.
Later, the British premier, who had been in Iraq the day before, met Palestinian leaders in the West Bank, the first visit to the region by a world leader since the death of Yasser Arafat last month.
At a joint press conference with PLO chairman Mahmud Abbas, Blair described his proposed conference as "a bridge back into the roadmap", helping the Palestinians build the institutions needed when they achieve independence.
"We can help with the development of those institutions on the Palestinian side necessary to create a viable Palestinian state," said Blair, standing beneath a portrait of Arafat in the Palestinian leadership compound in Ramallah.
In a delicate diplomatic manoeuvre, before the talks Blair paid a modest tribute at Arafat's tombstone in the Muqataa compound where the Palestinian leader was kept a virtual prisoner for nearly the last three years of his life, nodding his head in respect but not laying a wreath.
According to the British statement, the purpose of March's meeting will be to "demonstrate political support for the work of the new Palestinian leadership", as well as to help the Palestinian Authority "prepare" for Sharon's planned Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
The one-day gathering - the exact date was not specified - would be chaired by Blair, and attended by representatives from the four roadmap sponsors, the United States, United Nations, European Union and Russia.
Among those attending would be incoming US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, officials travelling with Blair said.
Sharon, currently engaged in bringing the dovish Labour Party into a coalition so as to assist his controversial plan for Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, welcomed the conference, but reiterated that Israel would not take part.
"The meeting is about governmental reforms that will lead the Palestinian Authority towards democracy," he said. "Since the subject focuses mainly on the Palestinians, Israel, after consultation with our British friends, decided not to attend."
Sharon also stressed that Arafat's death last month had provided a new opening for peace efforts.
"Once Arafat left us, I believe there is a window of opportunity, and I am not going to miss it," he said, adding "the elimination of terrorism will allow us to resume discussions under the roadmap."
However, he added that "by now we don't see even the slightest step taken by the Palestinians" to put an end to attacks. At his Ramallah press conference, Blair also stressed in front of Abbas the need for an end to Palestinian attacks.
"We have to have a situation where everything that can be done is being done to stop terrorism and violence," he said.
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