Blair sees possibilities in Mideast mission

Tony Blair said yesterday there was a new "moment of opportunity" in the Middle East but cautioned in his first visit as an international envoy against expecting any peace breakthrough soon.

The Quartet of peace brokers - the United States, European Union, United Nations and Russia - has asked the British former prime minister to present in September an initial plan for building ruling institutions for a future Palestinian state.

Blair, in his first public remarks since starting his mission on Monday, said he came "to listen and to learn and to reflect" in preliminary talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders.