Tony Blair said in an interview published Thursday that he will begin his new job as special Middle East envoy for the Quartet immediately, and will probably travel to the region as early as next month.

The former British prime minister who officially stepped down on Wednesday said he would begin preparing the ground for a future Palestinian state in his new role, which he says is essential for a negotiated settlement in the region. He will represent the Quartet of peace negotiators comprised of the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and Russia.

"It is a fundamental issue. I will be starting straight away," he told The Northern Echo, a local newspaper which serves England's northeast. "I will probably go out in July."

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Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayad welcomed Blair's appointment as Mideast envoy.

"We welcome this appointment and look forward to working with him," Fayad told reporters in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Blair would be an asset to Palestinian attempts to establish an independent state alongside Israel.

"Mr. Blair's expertise and knowledge of the situation will enable him to help us in terms of economic development, institution building and good government," Erekat said, adding "His commitment to a two-state solution is genuine and sincere."

Blair faces several challenges in his new role. Militant group Hamas took over the Gaza Strip two weeks ago, while Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' moderate Fatah party rules in the West Bank.

Hamas has already criticized Blair's appointment, saying he is too closely allied with the United States.

Blair told lawmakers in his final parliamentary question session that a "huge intensity of focus and work" was required to effect the two-state solution.

During his tenure as prime minister, Blair repeatedly said that the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was key to achieving peace in the wider Middle East.

Blair said that peace in the Middle East was a matter of international concern.

"This is the issue which concerns people, not merely because of the plight of the Israelis and the Palestinians, but also the symbolism of the dispute, what
it says about the state of the relationship between the Western world and the Muslim world and between different cultures and religions," Blair said.

Talking about his future, Blair also outlined plans for an interfaith foundation.