布萊爾可能將卸任中東特使

Tony Blair is preparing to step back from his role as a Middle East peace envoy as the US and Europe review policy options before Israel’s election this week.

在美國和歐洲趕在本週的以色列選舉之前審查政策選項之時，託尼•布萊爾(Tony Blair)準備卸任中東和平特使。

After nearly eight years as an envoy for the Quartet of Middle East peace negotiators, the former British prime minister has recognised that a frontline role is no longer tenable, according to several insiders. Mr Blair’s move comes amid deep unease in parts of Washington and Brussels over his poor relations with senior Palestinian Authority figures and sprawling business interests.

多位內部人士表示，在擔任中東和談四方特使近8年之後，這位英國前首相意識到，一個前方角色已經失去了意義。也就是在這個時候，美國和歐盟對布萊爾的也感覺很不放心，布萊爾與巴勒斯坦民族權力機構(Palestinian Authority)高層之間關係薄弱，而他的商業利益在不斷擴展。

The former UK premier is embarking on delicate talks to recast his Middle East role but is determined to remain part of the peace process. Mr Blair met John Kerry, US secretary of state, on Saturday in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to discuss a possible role change. He also spoke to Federica Mogherini, the EU’s foreign policy chief, who is pushing for a revamp of the Quartet and for Europe to take a more robust stance on Israel’s conduct.

這位英國前首相正在參加重塑其中東角色的微妙談判，但他決心在中東和平中繼續發揮作用。上週六，布萊爾在埃及的沙姆沙伊赫會見美國國務卿約翰•克里(John Kerry)，討論了可能的角色轉換。他也與歐盟(EU)外交政策主管費代裏卡•莫蓋里尼(Federica Mogherini)舉行了會談，後者正推動對中東問題四方進行改組，推動歐洲對以色列的做法採取更強硬的立場。

If Mr Blair does step aside or take an informal position it would end an arrangement that has made him a fixture of Middle East diplomacy while conducting private business with some regional governments that he also deals with through the Quartet, which represents the UN, US, EU and Russia.

如果布萊爾卸任，或者擔任一個非正式角色，將結束一項原有的政策安排。本來，布萊爾一方面參與對中東外交進程，另一方面，他在通過中東四方（聯合國(UN)、美國、歐盟和俄羅斯）與一些中東國家政府打交道的同時，也跟它們展開私人商務活動。

No final decisions have been taken but a clarification of Mr Blair’s role could come this week. His office declined to comment.

最終決定現在尚未做出，但布萊爾的角色可能在本週塵埃落定。布萊爾辦公室拒絕置評。

Although Mr Kerry is a supporter of Mr Blair’s continued involvement, some other senior figures in Washington told the Financial Times they wanted the former prime minister to step aside. Concerns include his multiple charitable, diplomatic and commercial interests. Ms Mogherini, meanwhile, is looking beyond Mr Blair as she recalibrates Europe’s approach and appoints a new EU Middle East envoy.

儘管克里本人支持布萊爾繼續參與中東問題，但華盛頓的其他一些政要對英國《金融時報》表示，他們想讓這位英國前首相卸任中東和平特使。他們擔心的是布萊爾在慈善、外交和商業多方面的利益。與此同時，莫蓋里尼正在尋找布萊爾之外的人選，她重新調整了歐洲的思路，並任命了一位新的歐盟中東特使。