Region | Palestinian Territories
Middle East envoy Tony Blair cancels trip to Gaza
Former British prime minister, Tony Blair cancelled his trip to the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, following a security threat, his spokesman said.
- Agencies
- Published: 12:26 July 15, 2008
Gaza: Former British prime minister, Tony Blair cancelled his trip to the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, following a security threat, his spokesman said.
"Unfortunately Mr Blair has had to postpone his visit to Gaza due to a specific security threat which would have made it impossible to proceed ... He looks forward to being able to go to Gaza again in the future," the spokesman said.
Middle East envoy Blair's trip would have been the highest-level diplomatic visit since Hamas seized control of the region last year.
Earlier UN officials in the region announced the cancellation but gave no reason for why the trip was cancelled.
Blair was to tour an international development project in the northern Gaza Strip.
The Quartet of international powers - the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations - appointed Blair to the envoy post a year ago with an economic focus to bolster chances for an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal this year.
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