Washington's lists of "terrorist organizations" only concern the US and are not legally binding on Cairo, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said in an interview published Tuesday.
"These lists are American and only concern the United States," Maher said in an interview with the Arabic-language daily Asharq Al Awsat, as quoted by AFP.
"In Egypt, we are bound by the decisions of the (UN) Security Council (on terrorist groups), which is still studying the means of implementation" of anti-terrorist moves, Maher added.
"The point of view of the United States vis-à-vis certain organizations concerns only them and no one else," said the minister.
On Nov. 2, the United States published an updated list of 88 individuals and groups, including Palestinian movements seen by the Arabs as resistance groups, whose assets were ordered frozen as part of the US-led war on terrorism.
Maher was responding to a question on where Egypt stood with respect to the lists.
On Oct. 28, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution proposed by the United States calling for sanctions against states providing terrorist networks with financial or logistical support.
Washington on the one hand and Syria and Lebanon on the other stand at loggerheads regarding Hizbollah, and a number of Palestinian groups hosted in Damascus.
Damascus and Beirut insist on their stand that these groups are fighters for freedom from the 34-year Israeli occupation of the Palestinian lands, and parts of Syria and Lebanon – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
