(Adds U.S. comment, paragraphs 14-15) By Adam Entous JERUSALEM, July 10 (Reuters) - Tony Blair is seeking a broader role as Middle East envoy that would give him more direct involvement in peacemaking, expanding the limited mandate world powers gave him last month, diplomats said on Tuesday. The former British prime minister tentatively plans to visit Israel and the occupied West Bank next week for the first time as envoy for the Quartet of Middle East mediators -- the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations. Senior Western and European diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said talks over Blair's role were still under way and that his visit could be postponed. Blair's office declined to comment. Blair met the Quartet envoys privately following their meeting in London on Tuesday. "It was a positive, practical discussion," a Blair spokesman said. Blair also met U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The spokesman said it was the first time they have met since Blair was appointed to his new role. Few details about Blair's plans have been made public since the Quartet appointed him on June 27, the day he stepped down after 10 years in power. But he has been holding discussions with world leaders about his role, which the Quartet defined as raising funds for the Palestinians, building their ruling institutions and promoting their economic development. "He is talking to leaders about what he wants to do. He has made clear the capacity-building mandate is not enough," said one senior Western diplomat familiar with the discussions. "He doesn't see himself bound to that. He wants a political role." A senior European diplomat in Jerusalem involved in the discussions said Blair has delivered a similar message to Quartet members. "As far as Blair is concerned, his mandate has not been finalized the diplomat said. Despite some initial resistance within the EU to Blair's appointment, a senior EU diplomat said there was growing support within the bloc for giving him a freer hand politically. "We think political should come over technical. There is a discussion under way. I don't see him at all being a money collector," the EU diplomat said. MANDATE In its June 27 announcement, the Quartet did not spell out any political, mediating role for Blair in reviving the long-stalled peace process. Many Arab and European commentators seized on the omission as a sign that Blair would be relegated to a peripheral role, leaving any serious peacemaking to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and other leaders. In Washington, U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said he was not aware that Blair had sought a wider role. While saying Rice would listen to Blair's views on peace, he suggested the United States would take the lead on this. "I think all in the region and around the world are really going to look to the United States and Secretary Rice for leadership on pushing forward the political tracks, whether that's between the Israelis and the Palestinians, or between the Israelis and the Arabs," McCormack told reporters. It is unclear whether the Quartet would agree, either formally or informally, to an expanded role for Blair. "A lot of things still need to be hammered out," a diplomat involved in the Quartet said of Blair's position. "But he is Tony Blair. He can pretty much do whatever he wants." Some European diplomats have raised questions about Blair's ability to garner broad Palestinian and Arab public support because of his support for the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and his close ties with U.S. President George W. Bush. Other officials say support from Bush is precisely Blair's strength in the job because of U.S. influence over Israel. Washington wants to relaunch statehood talks through President Mahmoud Abbas, who set up an emergency government in the occupied West Bank last month after Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip.(Additional reporting by Arshad Mohammed in Washington)
