French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin has called for a television channel close to the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah to be taken off air after it broadcast comments blaming Israel for exporting AIDS to the Middle East. 

Raffarin told the French Senate on 2 December that "Al-Manar's programmes are incompatible with our values. It is clear they will lead to the termination of the contract between the CSA and Al-Manar." 

Al-Manar channel was authorised to broadcast by satellite inside the European Union only two weeks ago after it signed an agreement with France's Higher Broadcasting Council (CSA) not to incite hatred or violence. 

On 1 December the CSA made an official submission to France's highest administrative court, the state council, asking it to outlaw al-Manar, which is relayed by the Paris-based satellite operator Eutelsat. The state council is to rule by 15 December. 

Raffarin said he regretted not having the powers to shut down Al-Manar's broadcasts by government decree. "That is why I will launch an initiative very soon to give us the means to interrupt immediately any programmes that transmit hate, violence and human indignity." 

Raffarin wants to bring up the Al-Manar issue at the meeting of European heads of government later this month. 

"We need to bring a European response to this propaganda of hate," he said.

mf / ep