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| Europe |
| EU not ready for sanctions against Hezbollah: EU's Barroso |
| 2013-03-07 |
| The European Union will consider imposing sanctions on the Lebanese Islamist group Hezbollah but does not yet have sufficient evidence of its activities in Europe to make a decision, the European Commission said on Thursday. Bulgaria in February implicated Hezbollah in a bombing in the Black Sea resort of Burgas last year that killed five Israelis, putting pressure on the EU to sanction the group. Israel also has stepped up lobbying in Brussels and Paris, calling on European governments to follow the United States in listing the Shi'ite Muslim group as a "terrorist organization" and impose financial sanctions on it. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, speaking at a news conference with Israeli President Shimon Peres in Brussels, said Bulgaria was still finalizing its investigation into the attack and had asked the Lebanese government for help. "The judicial process will show whether we should take political decisions. We cannot decide this in advance," Barroso said. "Once the perpetrators are known, their inclusion in the list ... may be considered." Many European governments are cautious, arguing that imposing sanctions on Hezbollah could destabilize the government in Beirut and contribute to tensions in the Middle East. Hezbollah is a dominant force in Lebanese politics, with Prime Minister Najib Mikati relying on the group for support. |
| Posted by:tipper |