Pressure on Blair to revive Middle East peace plan

Pressure was mounting to revive the Middle East peace process today after Tony Blair said he would regard it as a personal failure if he failed to galvanise international partners into injecting new momentum.

The British Prime Minister spoke at a fringe meeting at the UK Labour Party's annual conference in Brighton last night, organised by the Muslim Council of Britain.

He acknowledged that the Iraq conflict generated real differences between the British government and the Muslim community.

Saying that he hoped those differences could be put in the past, Mr Blair thanked the Council for sending a delegation to Iraq to press for the release of British hostage Ken Bigley.

He added that the international community had to address the causes of global terrorism, most significantly by galvanising the stalled Middle East peace process.

Mr Blair told the meeting: “It is absolutely vital that we revive and restart this process. I can assure you I will do everything I can. I regard it as a priority, I regard it as something that I will feel a sense of personal failure over if we cannot get movement back into this process.”

Mr Blair acknowledged the Middle East peace process was badly stalled. He said: “I think people now do understand that the only realistic solution is two states, a viable Palestinian state and an Israel confident of its security. And nothing else is going to do than that.”

In a reference to November’s US Presidential elections, Mr Blair said: “Once certain events in another part of the world are out of the way, and people can give their full concentration back, it is absolutely vital that we revive and restart this process.”

Mr Blair, who was joined at the event by his wife Cherie and several Cabinet colleagues, including Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, acknowledged the disagreement between the British government and the Muslim community over Iraq.

“I know there has been a disagreement over Iraq, we have gone over it many times. I hope it is possible, in time, for us to understand the importance now, whatever the disagreements, to try to make sure that Iraq becomes a better place and a democracy.”

Mr Blair thanked the Council for its efforts on Mr Bigley’s behalf. “Can I thank the Council for what you have done over the past few days in relation to Ken Bigley. I think that has been important to do, both because it helps a situation that is tragic and terrible for the family, but also because it sends such a clear signal of what the true spirit of Muslim people represents.”

Mr Blair was introduced by the Council’s secretary general, Iqbal Sacranie. Dr Sacranie hoped that Britain’s involvement in Iraq could be drawn to a conclusion sooner rather than later.

Dr Sacranie described Mr Bigley as “our fellow citizen”, adding that it was a “source of comfort” to learn that he was still alive. “We hope and pray that we have an early release,” he added.