A European Parliament delegation will visit Cairo this week to discuss the recent tensions regarding the Coptic Christian community in Egypt, diplomatic sources in Brussels told Al-Masry Al-Youm on Saturday.
The delegation will be headed by Irish Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Proinsias De Rossa and five other MEPs, the sources added. The delegation’s visit to Cairo will be part of a regional tour to include the Palestinian territories and Israel.
The sources said the visit comes after the European Parliament in Strasbourg passed a draft resolution Thursday accusing the Egyptian and Syrian governments of persecuting their Christian minorities.
The sources didn’t rule out that the delegation will inquire about the Egyptian government’s response to the draft resolution.
The delegation will meet with Egypt’s Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr.
The draft resolution passed on Thursday raises serious questions about the current status of Egypt’s minority Christian community. It cites reports that some 10,000 Coptic Christians have left Egypt since March and notes that 28 Egyptians, mostly Copts, were killed and hundreds wounded in a demonstration near the Maspero state television building in Cairo on 9 October.
The draft also expresses concern over the continued detention of Egyptian blogger Maikel Nabil and demands his immediate release, as well as calls for limiting military trials for civilians.
European institutions should support Egypt during its transitional period to help the country achieve democracy, protect minorities, and guarantee equality and freedom of religion, the draft continues.
Translated from the Arabic Edition
