Tony Blair kicks off solo Mideast peace mission

Former British prime minister says he’ll be putting his 8 years of diplomacy to work to help ‘so many’ positive things happen

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Friday he is ready to jump back into the difficult world of Mideast peace-making.

Months after stepping down as an international Mideast envoy, Blair said he is launching a new initiative to promote Israeli-Palestinian peace as a private citizen. He says his experience and network of contacts made during eight years of Mideast diplomacy will help him.

He said his efforts will include promoting a 2002 Arab initiative that offered a comprehensive peace agreement with Israel, working to improve the Palestinian economy and trying to end a split that has left the Palestinians torn between two rival governments.

He told reporters in Jerusalem that “there are so many things that could happen in this region of a positive nature.”