Egypt partners with Google to promote 'unmatched diversity' tourism campaign    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Taiwan GDP surges on tech demand    World Bank: Global commodity prices to fall 17% by '26    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    UNFPA Egypt, Bayer sign agreement to promote reproductive health    Egypt to boost marine protection with new tech partnership    France's harmonised inflation eases slightly in April    Eygpt's El-Sherbiny directs new cities to brace for adverse weather    CBE governor meets Beijing delegation to discuss economic, financial cooperation    Egypt's investment authority GAFI hosts forum with China to link business, innovation leaders    Cabinet approves establishment of national medical tourism council to boost healthcare sector    Egypt's Gypto Pharma, US Dawa Pharmaceuticals sign strategic alliance    Egypt's Foreign Minister calls new Somali counterpart, reaffirms support    "5,000 Years of Civilizational Dialogue" theme for Korea-Egypt 30th anniversary event    Egypt's Al-Sisi, Angola's Lourenço discuss ties, African security in Cairo talks    Egypt's Al-Mashat urges lower borrowing costs, more debt swaps at UN forum    Two new recycling projects launched in Egypt with EGP 1.7bn investment    Egypt's ambassador to Palestine congratulates Al-Sheikh on new senior state role    Egypt pleads before ICJ over Israel's obligations in occupied Palestine    Sudan conflict, bilateral ties dominate talks between Al-Sisi, Al-Burhan in Cairo    Cairo's Madinaty and Katameya Dunes Golf Courses set to host 2025 Pan Arab Golf Championship from May 7-10    Egypt's Ministry of Health launches trachoma elimination campaign in 7 governorates    EHA explores strategic partnership with Türkiye's Modest Group    Between Women Filmmakers' Caravan opens 5th round of Film Consultancy Programme for Arab filmmakers    Fourth Cairo Photo Week set for May, expanding across 14 Downtown locations    Egypt's PM follows up on Julius Nyerere dam project in Tanzania    Ancient military commander's tomb unearthed in Ismailia    Egypt's FM inspects Julius Nyerere Dam project in Tanzania    Egypt's FM praises ties with Tanzania    Egypt to host global celebration for Grand Egyptian Museum opening on July 3    Ancient Egyptian royal tomb unearthed in Sohag    Egypt hosts World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup in Somabay for 3rd consecutive year    Egyptian Minister praises Nile Basin consultations, voices GERD concerns    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



UK govt meets with British Copts to discuss Cathedral violence
Middle East Minister Alistair Burt meets with Coptic leaders who urged him to put pressure on Egypt's government to stop 'violence against Copts'
Published in Ahram Online on 22 - 04 - 2013

The British government and leaders within the Coptic Orthodox community in London met to discuss the recent sectarian violence in Egypt, Ahram Online has learned.
According to a Coptic activist who attended the meeting, the discussion focused on “the escalation of attacks on Copts in Egypt.”
“We have been promised that the issue will be raised [by the British] with the Egyptian government,” the activist said.
Father Antonious Thabet, the pastor of the St. Mark's Coptic Church in London, led a delegation which met with Alistair Burt, the British Middle East Minister, on 11 April at the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).
St. Mark's Church is the oldest Coptic church in Europe. It established a number of churches in the UK including the church of Stevenage, which is now the biggest the Coptic church in the United Kingdom.
Father Antonious confirmed his attendance, adding that such meeting is important.
“We are doing what we have to do to help stop the violence against Copts in Egypt,” he told Ahram Online.
But he refused to comment on whether the Coptic delegation had called on the UK to put pressure on the Egyptian government over the sectarian violence in Egypt.
He added that Egyptian Copts “are seeking help from God only.”
Dr. Ibrahim Habib, head of the United Copts of Great Britain, attended the meeting and confirmed that the UK minister has been asked to “put more pressure on the Egyptian government.”
“However, we stressed that we are asking for more active diplomatic pressure on Egypt, not military intervention,” Habib told Ahram Online.
“We do not support or agree with the appeals from other Coptic activists in the West for international protection for Copts in Egypt,” he added.
The FCO confirmed the meeting took place. A spokesman refused to give details of the discussions, but confirmed that “they discussed a range of issues including the recent attack on the Coptic Cathedral in Egypt.”
The spokesman described the meeting as “a part of a regular dialogue.”
On 8 April, Burt issued a statement strongly condemning the violent clashes that occurred outside Cairo's St Mark's Coptic Cathedral on 7 April, and stressing “the importance of freedom of religion and belief in Egypt's political transition.”
On 20 April, United Copts of Great Britain, UK Copts and United Action for Egyptian Christians staged a demo in front of the UK parliament, protesting against “human rights violations, particularly against Christians, in Egypt.”
The organisers accused the Egyptian authorities of “the persecution of liberal and religious minorities” and of “being responsible for the attack against the Cairo Cathedral.”
They asked the British government to “stop supporting the Muslim Brotherhood government in Egypt.”
The protesters called on the UK parliament to send a delegation to Egypt to discuss the human rights violations.


Clic here to read the story from its source.