Ex-British PM Tony Blair distances himself from Trump’s $1.29b peace board fee

LONDON – Mr Tony Blair, the former British prime minister who has been appointed to the executive panel of Mr Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, distanced himself from the President’s demand that countries pay US$1 billion (S$1.29 billion)
for permanent membership.

Mr Blair declined to endorse the request for the funds, which is part of a draft charter for the nascent organisation, in a further sign that the details of the peace board are provoking opposition from US allies and partners over Mr Trump’s project. 

A spokesperson for Mr Blair said on Jan 18 that he is not involved in determining the board’s membership, indicating he would not publicly support the proposal.

The spokesperson added that questions about the US$1 billion fee should be directed to the Trump administration.

Some countries would likely refuse to join the board as a result of Mr Trump’s terms, people familiar with the matter said.

Others may agree in principle to joining the Board of Peace but decline to pay the fee for permanent membership, they added.

They would then either seek to negotiate it away or quit the board if Mr Trump insisted on the idea, the people said. 

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Jan 18 that he had agreed in principle to joining the board but not to the payments.

“With respect to the specifics of the Board of Peace, we haven’t gone through all the details of the structure, how it’s going to work, what financing is for, et cetera. And so we will work through those in the coming days,” he said.

A Canadian official said that the government indeed won’t pay for a seat and that the draft charter is still under discussion.

Canada indicated Mr Carney would accept the invitation to join the board in part so that it could try to shape the process from within, the official added.

Bloomberg first reported the details of the draft charter on Jan 17. BLOOMBERG