So Tony Blair is off to the Far East to lecture the locals on carbon emissions post-Kyoto. Aside from the question as to why anybody should be obliged to listen, I would like to know how this impacts on his Middle East envoy job. What is happening to that now he is doing this Far East tour as well as being signed up global corporations?
You will recall that the Quartet – made up of the US, Russia, the EU and the UN – appointed him as their Representative in the Middle East last summer. The job spec says as Quartet Representative, he will:
“Mobilise international assistance to the Palestinians, working closely with donors and existing coordination bodies
Help to identify, and secure appropriate international support in addressing the institutional governance needs of the Palestinian state, focusing as a matter of urgency on the rule of law
Develop plans to promote Palestinian economic development, including private sector partnerships, building on previously agreed frameworks, especially concerning access and movement
And liaise with other countries as appropriate in support of the agreed Quartet objectives.
As representative, Tony Blair will bring continuity and intensity of focus to the work of the Quartet in support of the Palestinians, within the broader framework of the Quartet’s efforts to promote an end to the conflict in conformity with the roadmap.
He will spend significant time in the region working with the parties and others to help create viable and lasting government institutions representing all Palestinians, a robust economy, and a climate of law and order for the Palestinian people.
Tony Blair will be supported in this work by a small team of experts, based in Jerusalem, to be seconded by partner countries and institutions.
The Quartet representative will report to and consult regularly with the Quartet and be guided by it as necessary. “
So not an insignificant post. So how is he doing? Well that is actually difficult to ascertain. Given that the EU is one of the members of the Quartet, one would expect to find on the Commission website some sort of summary of his work to date. And yet there is nothing. Indeed on the Middle East page on the Commission’s External Relations section (ec.europa.eu/external_relations/mepp/index.htm) there is no reference to Tony Blair at all let alone any report.
So perhaps wants needs answering is not just how has the got the time for all this (I can understand that he needs the money and is probably the reason why he won’t end up being President of the European Council) but what has he achieved in his role as Middle East envoy. Who is he reporting back to and where are the reports? Essentially, where is the accountability? If anybody can point me in the right direction I would be very grateful!
