British Prime Minister Tony Blair's proposal for a broad Middle East strategy that would bring Syria and Iran into a peace effort, including resolving the Iraq conflict, has been met with a mixture of cautious interest and open doubt by London commentators.
Blair offered both countries a conditional partnership, requiring them to stop supporting militant groups and, in Iran's case, to abandon nuclear ambitions. The shift is notable given that Blair had recently described the two nations as forming an 'arc of extremism.'
Analysts attributed the initiative to several pressures: Blair's limited time left in office, the impact of the US midterm election results, and a growing British casualty count in Iraq. Blair reportedly hopes the proposal will influence President George W. Bush's thinking after his party's electoral losses.
London newspapers were largely skeptical. The Financial Times noted that Washington could have secured Syrian and Iranian cooperation at the outset of the Iraq war, and suggested both governments may now be reluctant to be seen rescuing Bush from a difficult situation. The Times was somewhat more open, suggesting the move could revive pragmatic diplomacy, though obstacles remain significant.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in November 2006, in its own words.