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Tony Blair (C) with French President Nicolas Sarkozy (L) and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the international donors' conference in Paris on Monday.
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LONDON (EJP)---Tony Blair, the Middle East Quartet envoy, Tony Blair, said the creation of a Palestinian state does not simply amount to defining territory but is also about how the Palestinians manage themselves, particularly on the security front.
In an interview with the Financial Times he declared:"Having a state is not just a question of territory. It is about the nature of what happens inside the state. So the single most important thing I can do to help the Palestinians is tell them the truth. And the truth is that there will not be a Palestinian state unless the nature of that state is clear."
The former British Prime Minister added: "I am saying to the Israelis: Yes, I understand why you are concerned by security. But in circumstances where Palestinians have demonstrated this security capability and built it, then you have to give them a chance to let it work."
He said a peace agreement between Israelis and Palestinians could be forged in 2008, and a point could be reached during the year where "a minimum threshold of credibility" would be achieved, giving both sides the confidence to trade land for peace.