British drive to blacklist Hezbollah hits EU opposition | Reuters

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  • Resistance Seen in EU to Blacklisting Hezbollah
    http://stream.wsj.com/story/latest-headlines/SS-2-63399/SS-2-245700

    All 27 EU member states must agree for Hezbollah to be added to the list. U.K. officials have said they hope for a final EU decision in June.

    “My guess is it’s going to take some time” to reach a decision, said one EU diplomat briefed on the discussions. “There is no unanimity yet” on blacklisting Hezbollah, the person added, citing “big doubts” among a handful of member states.

    Two other diplomats said about six countries appeared reluctant, including Finland, Austria and Ireland, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union. Sweden has also traditionally been cautious.

    […]

    One of the main concerns is the clarity of evidence linking Hezbollah to the Burgas attacks, which even some officials from member states in favor of blacklisting say appears circumstantial. The new Bulgarian government’s caution about whether to include Hezbollah on the terror list has also weighed on discussions, several diplomats said.

    • Italy leads charge against EU move to blacklist Hezbollah
      http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Politics/2013/Jun-05/219485-italy-leads-charge-against-eu-move-to-blacklist-hezbollah.ashx

      But representatives of several European governments, led by Italy, challenged the British request, arguing that it threatened Lebanon’s already fragile security situation, said the sources, who spoke on anonymity.

      […]

      Last month, the U.K. proposed blacklisting Hezbollah for its alleged involvement in a July 2012 bombing in the Bulgarian city of Burgas, which claimed the lives of five Israelis and their Bulgarian driver.

    • UK bid to blacklist Hezbollah faces EU opposition
      http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/uk-bid-to-blacklist-hezbollah-faces-eu-opposition-8644603.html

      Although Israel blamed Hezbollah for the Burgas bombing, it took until February this year for the Bulgarian government to say there was a “justifiable assumption” that the Burgas bomber and two suspected accomplices were linked to the group.

      Little evidence has been made public to support the claims. The two fugitive suspects are said to be a Canadian citizen, born in Lebanon, and an Australian. But their real names, current whereabouts and links to Hezbollah have not been released. The identity of the dead bomber is also unknown.

      “An attack takes place and immediately all over the world, governments are saying it was Hezbollah,” said Elena Pavlova, a Middle East analyst based in Sofia. “Yet, we have waited a year and still no one has given any proof.”

      Along with local journalist Ruslan Yordanov, she found al Qa’ida-linked martyrdom videos online, claiming responsibility a day after the bombing in Burgas. They wonder whether evidence pointing towards alternative perpetrators was deliberately ignored to meet the demands of Israeli and Western governments seeking an excuse to ban Hezbollah.

      Bulgaria’s former interior minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov, who was the public face of the investigation until his government resigned earlier this year, denies there was any pressure from international partners.

    • Mardi, Reuters explique que « des officiels bulgares » ont maintenu les preuves collectées jusqu’à présent, cités dans le cadre de l’accusation contre le Hezbollah au niveau européen… et dès mercredi le nouveau ministre de l’intérieur bulgare explique qu’il ne faut plus utiliser les accusations bulgares.

      La durée de vie de la phrase qui suit aura donc été inférieure à 24 heures :
      http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/04/us-eu-hezbollah-idUSBRE95313B20130604

      Bulgarian officials have countered that a recent reconstruction of events connected with last year’s bombing in the coastal city of Burgas has confirmed evidence collected so far.