Blair to be declared 'Statesman of the Decade'

British Prime Minister Tony Blair is to be declared the 'Statesman of the Decade' in London this week for tirelessly demonstrating responsibility towards helping those most in need.

Dozens of presidents, prime ministers and other dignitaries are expected to attend the occasion, organised by the EastWest Institute, an American think tank, where the award declaring Blair 'the Statesman of the Decade' will be conferred on him.

According to sources, the guest list is heavily weighed towards the Balkans, in honour of Blair's leading role in the 1999 Kosovo war that ultimately brought about the fall of Slobodan Milosevic, the former Yugoslav president.

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The presidents of Bulgaria, Croatia and Serbia are expected at the dinner on Wednesday, as well as the prime ministers of Macedonia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Montenegro.

Video tributes will be recorded by President George W Bush, his predecessor Bill Clinton, the ex-president of South Africa Nelson Mandela, President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan and Kofi Annan, the UN secretary-general.