Italian negotiator Fernando Gentilini will be the envoy to the Middle East Quartet as the European Union eyes relaunching the peace process.
The appointment of Gentilini as the EU’s special representative to the Middle East, which includes acting as the Quartet envoy, was announced March 16.
The announcement came a day after the London-based Financial Times reported that former British Prime Minister Tony Blair would step down as the Quartet’s representative to the region dealing with economic development of the Palestinians. The Quartet is the diplomatic grouping of the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations guiding the Middle East peace process.
Blair has held the post for eight years. He decided to step down, the Financial Times reported, because he realized that his high-profile role is no longer appropriate to the role. — jta