Hillary Clinton says Tony Blair to play bigger role in Middle East peace process

Washington: US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said on Tuesday that former British prime minister Tony Blair is going to play a bigger role in efforts to get Palestinians and Israelis back to peace talks by intensifying his partnership with special US Middle East ambassador George Mitchell.

In a statement, Clinton said she had spoken to Blair on Thursday about developments in the region.

As a result of that call, she said Blair would broaden his current role as representative of the so-called Quartet of Middle East peacemakers to assist Mitchell.

Blair took that position in June 2007 but previously had confined his activities to building support for the Palestinian National Authority. He had not served as a mediator or negotiator