Israeli President Shimon Peres will urge EU leaders to put Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Lebanese Shiite group, on its list of terror organisations, during a week-long historic state visit to the European Union and France.
Last month, Peres called on the EU to blacklist Hezbollah after Bulgaria informed the other EU countries that the group was to be blamed for the July 2012 bombing of a bus in the Black Sea resort of Burgas which killed five Israeli tourists and their driver.
"The President will tell the EU leaders that every country needs to treat Hezbollah as a terror organisation," his spokesperson told EJP.
The President’s EU meetings "will take place in the context of the inquiry into the terror attack in Bulgaria which found that Hezbollah was responsible for the bombing and the subsequent discussions within Europe on the consequences."
The EU has so far failed to take a decision on the Hezbollah issue due to a absence of unanimity among the 27 countries.
In Brussels, where he will start his March 5-12 trip, Peres will meet his Bulgarian counterpart Rosen Plevneliev on the occasion of the official opening of an exhibition on 70 years since the Bulgarian Jewish community was saved from Nazism.
During his visit, Peres will meet the EU leaders to promote the strategic cooperation between Israel and the EU in various political and economic fields, and also discuss the Iranian nuclear issue, the peace process with the Palestinians and the Arab Spring.
Strengtheing the relations between the EU and Israel will be a focus of the talks with the leaders of the European Union, including EU Council President Herman Van Rompuy, EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and European Parliament President Martin Schulz.
On March 12, Peres will deliver a historic speech before the European Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg. It will be the first by an Israeli leader in the EU parliament in its current format which includes 754 members from the 27 EU member states.
While in Brussels, Peres will also meet NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's headquarters, meet Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo as well as the Belgian Jewish community.
On March 8, the Israeli President will travel to Paris for a lunch meeting with French President Francois Hollande at the Elysee Palace during which they will discuss the Iranian nuclear threat, the situation in Syria, the instability in Lebanon, progressing the peace process and strengthening the strategic ties between France and Israel.
In Paris, Peres will also meet the Secretary General of OECD, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Angel Gurria, and will deliver an economic speech to the senior economic forum of the OECD with hundreds of representatives of global companies.
Israel is a member of OECD.
"President Peres will lay out his vision for the role of global companies in creating change in the Middle East and introducing projects to the region which will have economic benefits, create jobs and prevent hunger in the world," his office said.
On Sunday, he will meet with the bereaved families from the terror attack against a Jewish school in Toulouse in March 2012 and conduct a memorial service for the victims, three children and a teacher.
Monday’s Paris visit will be devoted to a meeting with leaders of the French Jewish community.