PARIS, May 3 (Xinhua) -- French Foreign Ministry confirmed Wednesday that they have denied entry visas to two Hamas officials Salah Muhammad al-Bardawil and Mohammad al-Rantissi.

    At an electronic news briefing on Wednesday, the French Foreign Ministry said after negotiating with its European partners, France decided not to issue visa for Rantissi and Bardawil before a common stand would be taken at the next European foreign ministers' meeting on May 15.

    To the question if France's decision would lead to the result that the Hamas members could not get into any other Schengen country, the French ministry said: "Except that there is one country among them to decide to give them Limited Territorial Validity visas (LTV)."

    The French government last month denied an entry visa to Palestinian Planning Minister Samir Abu Eisheh, who had been due to attend a conference in the French capital.

    The European Union plans to discuss relations with the Hamas at the meeting on May 15.

    Hamas won a landslide victory in the Jan. 25 parliamentary elections. The Hamas-led Palestinian government has been under a severe financial siege since it took office in March due to its refusal to recognize Israel, renounce violence and accept previous peace deals, three conditions required to get western aid.

    The United States and the European Union suspended direct financial aid to the Palestinian National Authority after Hamas took over the government.

    Hamas has dismissed the pressure as blackmail and punishment for the Palestinians for their rightful democratic choice. Enditem