Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com). Voice of America is funded by the US Federal Government and content it exclusively produces is in the public domain. June 26, 2007 International Middle East Peace Negotiators Consider Blair as Envoy ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=17F2372:A6F02AD83191E1605A903840DDE3D0589574F7DCC14957C0 British news reports say Tony Blair, who steps down as prime minister Wednesday, is expected to be named as top envoy during Tuesday's talks Tony Blair (file photo)International Middle East peace negotiators are meeting in Jerusalem and considering naming outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair as a top Middle East envoy. The meeting of representatives of the Middle East Quartet: the United States, Russia, the United Nations and the European Union, comes one day after Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met in Egypt. British news reports say Mr. Blair, who steps down as prime minister Wednesday, is expected to be named as top envoy during Tuesday's talks. At a news conference in London, Mr. Blair said he thinks that anybody who cares about greater peace and stability in the world knows that a lasting and enduring resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian issue is essential. He said he will do whatever he can to help bring about such a resolution. At Monday's summit in Egypt, Israeli Prime Minister Olmert pledged to release 250 Fatah members from Israeli prisons as a goodwill gesture to Mr. Abbas of Fatah. The Egypt talks included Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Jordan's King Abdullah. Mr. Olmert's pledge to free the prisoners is aimed at strengthening Mr. Abbas after his Fatah movement was routed from the Gaza Strip earlier this month by the rival Hamas faction. The Quartet issued a "road map" to Israeli-Palestinian peace in 2003. Little progress has been made on its implementation. Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters. .