Blair Says Mideast Cease-Fire Elements In Place

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Source: AP

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) — The elements are in place for a cease-fire to end the fighting in the Gaza Strip, asserted special Mideast envoy Tony Blair on Monday — the latest foreign official to visit the Egyptian capital in several days of frantic diplomacy to resolve the conflict.

The former British prime minister met in Cairo with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak following meetings with Israel's leaders Sunday. Egypt has put forward a three stage proposal to end the fighting, which is under consideration by the warring parties.

"I think the elements of an agreement for the immediate cease-fire are there," Blair said, adding that, while more work needs to be done, he hoped to see a cease-fire "in the coming days."

Some 870 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its air and ground offensive on Gaza on Dec. 27 to stop Hamas' rocket attacks.

"It is going to have to be worked on very hard, and it is got to be credible," Blair said about the agreement, which he said must stop the supplies of weapons to Gaza and open the crossings to the besieged territory.

Egyptian intelligence officials have been meeting with Hamas representatives, who arrived here on Saturday, to discuss the details of the proposal. Part of the Hamas delegation left Cairo Sunday for Damascus, where they said they would discuss the proposal with their political leadership.

Few details have so far emerged from the discussions in Egypt. The issues of stopping the weapons smuggling through the Gaza-Egyptian border and how to supervise the frontier have been subject to debate between the different parties.

Hamas wants to maintain control over the crossing with Egypt; while Egypt wants Hamas' rival, President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority to be in charge.

Abbas and his forces were ousted from the seaside territory in 2007 after fierce battles with Hamas.

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