Middle East: Blair warns over jerusalem settlements

The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, held "friendly and constructive" talks with Tony Blair and Robin Cook at the start of a two-day visit to London yesterday..

But Britain emphasised its unhappiness at Israel's continued enthusiasm for new Jewish settlements in Arab East Jerusalem. Mr Blair expressed "great concern about the state of the peace process", and Mr Cook made clear that Britain "strongly supports" calls by the US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, for a "time-out" on the building of new settlements. Britain says the Middle East peace process will be "a key priority" during the British presidency of the European Union in the first half of next year. - Steve Crawshaw