Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-11-28-Speech-3-169"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2001-11-28"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Egypt2
dcterms:Language	"nl"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20011128.9.3-169"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2001-11-28-Speech-3-1702
lpv:speaker	lp:Bas Belder2
lpv:spokenAs	member; EDD (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 unknown; Staatkundig Gereformeerde Partij - Gereformeerd Politiek Verbond - Reformatorisch Politieke Federatie (1999-07-20--2002-03-17)3 member; Members from the European Parliament to the Joint Parliamentary Assembly of the Agreement between the African, Caribbean and Pacific States and the European Union (ACP-EU) (2000-10-05--2002-01-14)3 member; Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3 vice-chair; Delegation for relations with the United States (1999-07-22--2002-01-14)3 substitute; Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3
lpv:translated text	"Mr President, the fact that the European Community and its Member States are entering into an association agreement with Egypt evokes very mixed feelings in me. My reservations mainly revolve around the unequal and unsafe social position which Egyptian Christians find themselves in. The oral question to the Commission underlines this anxiety. How does it intend to persuade the Egyptian authorities to improve the situation of the Coptic community? Bear in mind that at least six million Egyptian citizens are involved. It is therefore extremely regrettable that precisely the violation of their fundamental constitutional rights is not explicitly mentioned in the motion for a resolution. By way of illustration, I should like to quote three serious instances of abuse with which Egyptian Christians are weighed down: not only do the Egyptian authorities veto the construction of new churches, they also take part in the criminal persecution of Muslims who want to convert to Christianity. The latter is done under the veiled indictment of subversive activities. Thirdly, there is legal uncertainty among the Christian community in Upper Egypt: it is exposed to downright religious persecution by Muslim extremists. Such a vacuum in authority is not acceptable and cannot be solved by combining the arrest of Islamists with the random rounding up of a number of indigenous Christians. I would therefore urge the Commission, the Council and the Member State governments to put these abuses on the agenda during the consultation with the Egyptian authorities. They are duty-bound to do this on account of the content of this association agreement. The positive element, namely that since 11 September, the Coptic churches have been having talks with the Egyptian authority, reinforces this essential provision."@en1

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