Washington seeks to convince Paris to consider Hizbullah a terrorist party

The US announced on Wednesday it seeks to convince France to consider Hizbullah a terrorist organization and the French al-Ihsan Wal I'ana committee for the Palestinians (CPSP) a supporter for the Hamas movement listed on terrorism lists.

The US assistant treasure secretary who presides over the office for fighting terrorism and financial intelligence Stewart Levy in Paris said "we are still concerned over the peace march in the Middle East from the Hizbullah party which we consider it should be identified as a terrorist organization and we hope to convince our French peers of this point."

Levy explained that the US also accuses "al-Ihsan Wal-I'ana committee for the Palestinians", which is a non governmental French organization, of providing financial support for Hamas. He said "we have classified in the USA (CPSP) as a terrorist financing organization, adding "we do hope to convince our French peers to take similar measures here."

Israel, however, had accused "al-Ihsan wal-I'ana committee for the Palestinians" by the beginning of this month of providing financial support for Hamas and the US decided to freeze its assets as from August 2003.