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Bulgaria urges harder EU stance on Hezbollah

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Published 19 February 2013

Bulgaria urged European governments on Monday (18 February) to take a harder stance towards Hezbollah after blaming the Lebanese Islamist movement for a bus bombing that killed five Israelis at a Bulgarian Black Sea resort last year.

But Foreign Minister Nickolay Mladenov cautioned European states not to be in a rush to brand the Lebanese group as a terrorist organisation, saying careful consideration was needed of potential consequences in Beirut.

Bulgaria's implication of Hezbollah in the attack in the city of Burgas has reignited a debate over Europe's approach to the Shi'ite Muslim group.

>> Read: Bulgaria puts Hezbollah on EU Foreign Minister's menu

The European Union has resisted pressure from the United States and Israel to blacklist Hezbollah, arguing this could destabilise a fragile government in Lebanon and contribute to instability in the Middle East.

Hezbollah is a major player in Lebanese politics and its support is vital to the authority of Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

"It is very important for us in Europe to understand that when faced with the threat of terrorism, we need to stand up to it firmly ... and collectively," Mladenov told Reuters in Brussels, where he presented findings of an investigation into the July 2012 Burgas attack to EU foreign ministers.

On his way into the meeting, Mladenov told reporters Europe should take collective measures against Hezbollah.

Asked whether that meant the EU should blacklist the movement, he replied: "Given the fact that we've already made quite firm statements about where we believe the responsibility for that attack lies, I think the answer is quite obvious."

But he said it could take weeks or months before Bulgaria completes its investigation of the attack and shares all necessary information with other EU capitals to build the case for any moves against Hezbollah.

"I don't think we need to rush into this debate, before all the information we have is shared," he told Reuters.

Other European officials have said there are steps that could be taken short of blacklisting Hezbollah. These could include asking Europol to coordinate investigations into the group's presence in Europe.

Mladenov said some governments wanted sanctions, such as travel bans and asset freezes, imposed on individual members of Hezbollah implicated in the Burgas attack.

Positions: 

A Bulgarian investigation linked militant group Hezbollah to the bombing attack that killed five Israeli tourists in the Burgas Black Sea resort last July.

The EU reacted cautiously to the findings, stopping short of linking Hezbollah to the attack.

Catherine Ashton, the EU's foreign policy chief, said that "reflection" and "serious assessment" were needed over the outcome of the investigation.

The Iranian-backed group is currently not on the EU list of terrorist organisations.

EurActiv.com with Reuters

COMMENTS

  • I'm thankful there are some reasonable EU governments and politicians who are not willing to fall into the easy accusations against Hezbollah regarding the Bulgarian bombing. The whole affairs smells fishy since the start! There are no proof of Hezbollah's implication. The US and Bulgaria are quick to conclude that "seeing Hezbollah's modus operandi (...) we have reasonable suspicion" of Hezbollah's implication. I have yet to know where they get that this is Hezbollah's "modus operandi". Could anyone please tell me when Hezbollah has targeted Israeli tourists abroad?

    This being said, the original accusations against a former Swedish Guantanamo detainee caught in Pakistan raises my eye brows as well. The blame was too quickly shifted from Al Qaeda to Hezbollah through Israeli influence. Smart analysts know that these two organizations work in very different ways, have different ideologies, and have nothing in common.

    These accusations can be easily understood by "Homeland" fans though!

    May I add that it is becoming obvious what Israel's new lobbying strategies are: having lost support among Western European allies, it is now focusing on Eastern countries to keep the balance in its favor (or more like out of Palestine's favor). The EU has failed the peace process...

    By :
    dodzi
    - Posted on :
    22/02/2013

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