Former US senator George Mitchell, who played a major role in the Northern Ireland peace process, is expected to be named as incoming president Barack Obama's Middle East envoy, it was reported today.
The Washington Postreported that Mr Mitchell, a former senate Deomocratic majority leader, is under serious consideration to become part of president-elect Obama's administration.
Mr Mitchell is credited with helping break the political deadlock and establishing principles of non-violence characterising Northern Ireland politics. He led a Middle East peace commission in 2001.
Mr Mitchell's appointment would follow the expected confirmation of Hillary Clinton by the US Senate as Secretary of State, the newspaper said, quoting unidentified Obama aides.
