{"text":[[{"start":16.43,"text":"Sir Tony Blair’s presence at the launch of Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” has prompted criticism in London after the British government refused to join the unveiling of the new initiative."}],[{"start":29.02,"text":"The former Labour prime minister was hailed by the US president at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, even as many countries turned their backs on the project. “Thank you, Tony, for being here, we appreciate it,” Trump said."}],[{"start":45.56,"text":"Blair said he was “honoured” to serve on the board’s executive, but Trump’s decision to invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to join the Board of Peace has caused unease in Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour government."}],[{"start":60.45,"text":"“Putin’s possible involvement puts Tony in a really difficult position,” said one senior minister. “Presumably, he didn’t know about Putin when he agreed to sign up.”"}],[{"start":72.28,"text":"Asked what Starmer thinks about Blair’s involvement, a UK government official said: “We are not commenting on the decisions of an individual outside of government.”"}],[{"start":82.91,"text":"“The government’s position is that we strongly support the peace plan that President Trump set out but of course we have concerns about a potential role for Putin on the peace board.”"}],[{"start":94.46,"text":"Calum Miller, Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman, said: “Blair’s participation endorses Trump’s model where murdering warmongers are welcome so long as they pay to play.” Trump is demanding a $1bn payment to be a permanent Board of Peace member."}],[{"start":113.60999999999999,"text":"Blair, UK prime minister from 1997 to 2007, has joined the board as a private individual having been involved in discussions with the White House over the future of Gaza. He played an important role in brokering a peace deal in Northern Ireland in 1998."}],[{"start":133.48999999999998,"text":"Sir Jeremy Hunt, former Tory foreign secretary, is among those who have argued that Blair’s political skills and vast experience mean he could make “a good contribution” to securing peace in Gaza."}],[{"start":147.48999999999998,"text":"However, Trump’s invitation to the Russian leader to join his Board of Peace — a body initially intended to end the war in Gaza but with a remit that now extends to other global conflicts — has caused concerns in London."}],[{"start":161.73,"text":"Yvette Cooper, UK foreign secretary, said on Thursday: “There’s a huge amount of work to do. We won’t be one of the signatories today,” she said, adding it was “a legal treaty that raises much broader issues”."}],[{"start":176.51999999999998,"text":"She added: “We do also have concerns about President Putin being part of something which is talking about peace, when we have still not seen any signs from Putin that there will be a commitment to peace in Ukraine.”"}],[{"start":189.70999999999998,"text":"A spokesperson for Blair said joining the board allowed him “to continue to play a full part in the Gaza peace plan that he worked so hard with the Americans, under President Trump’s leadership, to bring about”."}],[{"start":204.76,"text":"“Should Russia decide to join the Board of Peace, it doesn’t in any way alter Tony Blair’s views on the Ukraine conflict, where his support for Ukraine is clear.”"}],[{"start":215.70999999999998,"text":"The Blair spokesperson added: “Russia is a member of the UN Security Council and, therefore, was able to vote on the Gaza peace plan and is a member of many international organisations.” The Board of Peace aimed to be “complementary” to the UN, not a replacement, they said."}],[{"start":234.64999999999998,"text":"In Davos on Thursday, senior officials from 20 countries were introduced on stage as founding members of the Board of Peace, with Trump as its “chair”. Putin is still studying details of the plan before deciding whether to join."}],[{"start":251.23999999999998,"text":"The countries represented include Bahrain, Morocco, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UAE, Uzbekistan and Mongolia."}],[{"start":271.16999999999996,"text":"US secretary of state Marco Rubio, Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner are among those sitting on the board’s executive alongside Blair."}],[{"start":283.54999999999995,"text":"Barry Gardiner, a Labour MP, said: “It would be extremely difficult for a former British PM to serve on the same board as Putin. But Blair is an astute global player; he will want to discover what lies behind Trump’s invitation.”"}],[{"start":300.09,"text":"A spokesman for Nigel Farage’s Reform UK said: “While we support President Trump’s pursuit of peace, appointing a man who led Britain into the Iraq war and a man who invaded Ukraine [Putin] raises serious questions.”"}],[{"start":326.5799999999999,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1769125978_8904.mp3"}