Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Sunday expressed confidence that a US sponsored Middle East peace conference will be held as scheduled later this month. "I believe it will happen. I think it can and should be successful," Blair told CNN television Sunday.
Blair, along with officials in Washington, hope that the international Middle East conference in Annapolis, Maryland late this month forms the basis for negotiations on the creation of a Palestinian state.
The former prime minister said the upcoming talks "give people a sense that we can reach agreement between the Israelis and Palestinians. It's got to give a sense that the peace process is now ... renewed, back on track."
At a follow-up meeting in December, Blair said, "the Palestinians will set out their plans for the future, how they will reform the Palestinian institutions, build proper security apparatus, make sure that they have the qualities there available for proper statehood, for the institutions of statehood. "That's something that then the international community can come behind and support," said Blair.