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WASHINGTON, June 26 (Reuters) - Outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair is expected to be named as a Middle East envoy as early as on Wednesday, a U.S. official said.

"We would expect that he would be named as early as tomorrow," said the U.S. official who asked not to be named. "It is in the final stages of consultation all around."

Asked if he expected something to derail the choice of Blair by the so-called Quartet of Middle Eeast mediators -- the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations -- the official replied: "I don't anticipate that."

The EU's Middle East envoy, Marc Otte, told reporters after the group met in Jerusalem that Blair was the only candidate under consideration for the post but that the Quartet was awaiting final approval from Russia.

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