January 12, 2011. Egypt has recalled their ambassador to the Vatican for consultation in light of the Pope's remarks on the need for the Egyptian government to do more to protect its Christian minority.
Benedict XVI10/01/2011
“To the authorities of that country and to the Muslim religious leaders I renew my heartfelt appeal that their Christian fellow-citizens be able to live in security, continuing to contribute to the society in which they are fully members.”
ROME REPORTS was able to conduct an interview with the Egyptian ambassador to the Vatican before she was called back to Cairo.
Lamia Aly Mekhemar
Egyptian Ambassador to the Holy See
“We do not share the views that Christians are persecuted in our part of the world. Persecution is a big word, in order prove persecution you have to be very careful, this is a legal term that could not be used casually. In this sense we do not share the views about that our governments, some governments in the area have not provided protection for the Christians in the Middle East.”
This comes two weeks after the New Years Eve suicide bombing of a church which left 23 dead.
It also resulted in several days of unrest as Christians clashed with police and Muslims in the street as they demanded government protection.
Lamia Aly Mekhemar
Egyptian Ambassador to the Holy See
“Copts in Egypt are perceived as an integral part of the Egyptian, the fabric of the Egyptian society. We do not perceive them as a minority. They have all the protections as any other Egyptian citizen in Egypt, their churches are protected, they themselves are protected in the streets like any other Egyptian citizen.”
The Christian Copts make up about 10% of the 80 million people in Egypt.
According to the ambassador, these attacks are a form of terrorism against all citizens, not just Christians and their government is actively working to find those responsible.
Egyptian Ambassador to the Holy See
Lamia Aly Mekhemar
“The government's reaction was and still is, that this is a terrorist attack against Egypt, the whole of Egypt, not just against Christians but also against Muslims and the Egyptian society in general and the Egyptian country in general.”
Egypt still maintains diplomatic relations with the Vatican but considers the Pope's recent comments as an “unacceptable interference in its internal affairs.”
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