Tony Blair advocates 'whole-region' approach to Middle East

• Tony Blair justified his decision to deal with Gaddafi as Prime Minister

Appearing on BBC1's Breakfast programme, Mr Blair - a United Nations special envoy for the Middle East - discussed the military situation in Libya and contrasted it with the turbulence elsewhere in the region.

Mr Blair said he supported military action to weaken Colonel Gaddafi's regime.

But he also pointed to "very complex religious and tribal elements" to justify different approaches to different regimes.

He said: "You need a plan that goes beyond simply saying 'Well, here are the people we condemn, here are the people we support', but a plan for reconstructing these countries.

"In Syria, for example, today you have got many of the same issues (as in Libya) and the question is 'How do we engage with these people?'.

"If you take the situation in Bahrain, for example, that again is somewhat different.

"If you simply ended up with chaos there and with a big fight between the majority Shia population and the minority Sunni population, you would have enormous problems."

Mr Blair said that in addition to political reform, economic, social and religious freedom should be encouraged.

He said: "Whether it's in Libya or Egypt, Tunisia or any of these countries where there's change coming, we want to try and make sure that that change gives us the prospect of proper democratic societies where people are able not just to vote in and out their government but to live in peace and stability with the rest of us."

Mr Blair also justified his decision to deal with Gaddafi as prime minister in 2004. He said Britain had been right to do so at the time and right to condemn and "go after him" now.

In a newspaper article published today, Mr Blair also said that Europe should have a properly elected president and be ready to unify in a bid to compete with China.

The ex-PM believes Britain could only benefit by closer links with her European neighbours. And that a president - elected by voters from more than 27 nations - would enjoy a massive mandate to lead the continent.

In an interview with The Times, the 58-year-old said: "We won't have the weight and influence a country like Britain needs unless we're part of that European power as well.

"Europe has got a fantastic opportunity, but only if it's prepared to reform and change radically in the way it works."