Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blairwill become a Middle East envoy and work on the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Photo by Getty Images
Tony Blair will become a Middle East envoy and work on the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it emerged just hours after he stepped down as UK Prime Minister on Wednesday after a decade in office.
Blair would act on behalf of US, Russia, the UN and the EU to find a solution to the region's problems.
"The absolute priority is to try to give effect to what is now the consensus across the international community - that the only way of bringing stability and peace to the Middle East is a two-state solution," he told British MPs.
Russia was reported to initially oppose his appointment, given its frosty relationship with Britain following the scandal involving former Russian secret agent Alexander Litvinenko, but has since agreed to it, the BBC reported.
He came under intense criticism for engaging Britain in the US-led war against Saddam Hussein in Iraq, but has also been praised for his contribution to the peace process in Northern Ireland.