Tony Blair hints at EU presidency

PARIS, Jan. 13 (UPI) -- Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair added fuel to the presumption he wants to become the first president of the European Union in a speech in France.

Blair delivered the speech in Paris Saturday alongside the French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Observers monitored the speech closely for clues to an EU presidential platform, the Sunday Telegraph said.

"Terrorism, security, immigration, organized crime, energy, the environment, science, biotechnology and higher education -- in all these areas, and others, we are much stronger and able to deliver what our citizens expect from us as individual nations if we are part of a strong and united Europe," Blair said.

Blair would have to resign from his role on the board of the U.S.-based investment banking firm JPMorgan Chase and step down from his role as Britain's Middle East envoy if he took the EU presidency.

Sarkozy is believed to be pushing for Blair's ascension to the new position, the Telegraph said.