Blair calls on world to support Palestinian President

Tony Blair has called on the international community to back Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas after the Fatah leader called for fresh elections.

President Abbas called for a new vote earlier today in a bid to halt escalating tensions between supporters of the Hamas and Fatah factions. Tony Blair said his speech was "very important" and arrived at a "critical time".

Speaking after talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Egypt, the Prime Minister said:

"I think President Abbas has given important leadership here and it really will be a major strategic opportunity missed for all of us, not just in the region but outside, if we don't get behind him and back him now."

Cairo press conference
Speaking earlier in the Turkish capital Ankara following talks with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Tony Blair said that the coming days and weeks will be "a critical moment of decision" for the Middle East peace process.

"I think the most important thing is that on the Palestinian side one way or another, we have a fully functioning authority with which the rest of us can deal, support, give financial help to, improve the living conditions of Palestinians and start to create the structures on the Palestinian side that then allow a negotiation for peace with Israel to go forward."

Mr Blair also offered his support to Turkey in its bid to join the European Union.

"Turkey is placed right between the Middle East and Europe and if we needed no other reminder of the strategic importance of Turkey to the European Union it is what is happening in the Middle East today."

By 10 Downing Street