Brussels, 05/01/2011 (Agence Europe) - Four days after the deadly attack perpetrated against a Coptic Christian church in Alexandria, Egypt, leaving 21 people dead, the idea of European action is gradually taking shape. This at least is the stated intention of a number of member states such as France and Italy, as well as the European Parliament which, speaking through Mario Mauro (EPP) and Gianni Pittela (S&D), among others, called on Tuesday for strong EU action to ensure eastern Christian communities are protected.
On Wednesday, the French foreign affairs minister, Michèle Alliot-Marie, spoke of her plan to send EU High Representative Catherine Ashton a letter calling for the matter to be included on the agenda of the next Foreign Affairs Council scheduled for 31 January in Brussels. The letter would be jointly signed by her Italian counterpart, Franco Frattini, she said, and will tackle the need to “prepare a concerted response” by the 27 EU member states to the Al-Qaeda threat to eastern Christians.
The same day, José Manuel Barroso seized the opportunity provided by a speech on innovation in the EU to recommend in his turn not only a firm condemnation of the attack but also specific action in order to avoid an escalation of violence against Christians. The attack in Egypt comes in the wake of a series of crimes perpetrated against Christians, in Iraq in particular but also in Nigeria, over the Christmas period.
Although the Commission had not yet decided on Wednesday to include the subject on the agenda for 31 January, the decision being up to Catherine Ashton who is currently on visit to the Middle East, the subject was nonetheless discussed twice this week at that level: - on Monday during the meeting of heads of cabinet and on Wednesday morning during the meeting of the college of commissioners. On Monday, in particular, it was the Italian commissioner for industry, Antonio Tajani, who called on the cabinets under Barroso and Ashton to arrange for discussion by the college on these recent attacks against Christians. Tajani's request concerned the protection of Christians in the East and more widely the protection of religious minorities in the world, said Olivier Bailly, Barroso's spokesman.
And yet, as Olivier Bailly points out, such a request is not as simple as it would seem. He says that, even if all agreed such attacks should be condemned, one would have to see what the Commission can do beyond making just a political statement. Condemnations, concrete action on the ground to protect eastern Christians, all these elements should thus be discussed and placed in the balance to determine what action can be conducted by the EU. One would also have to agree on the public targeted by such action, a Council source states, between those that only wish protection for Christians and those who wish for more far-reaching action.
First indications for reflection on the matter have, however, already been tabled by Michèle Alliot-Marie's side. “We must act among us, we must take in and we must offer the right of asylum to those who feel they are threatened”, she said. It will also be necessary to act with all 27 member states together so that people “may return home”. The French minister felt the possibility of return would be the best way to disavow those perpetrating the attacks.
EU action on the subject of religious minorities, especially Christian, however, could be a precedent. The Commission at its own level only rarely deals with religious matters, Olivier Bailly continued, saying that this is essentially within the framework of dialogue between religions established at the Commission level in the eighties. Last December, before the Alexandria attacks, the Council had also held discussion on freedom of worship in the world, evoking the need to protect religious minorities, without however achieving any concrete action, a Council source states. This is precisely what Mario Mauro criticises the European executive for. In a press release, Mauro points out that, in 2009, a Council declaration had highlighted respect of religious freedom in the world. The text was now “clearly insufficient”, Mauro said, who also called on Ashton to take the matter in hand and to exercise true leadership within the framework of her mission on the subject of protecting religious communities in the world, especially through “targeted diplomatic action”. (Cor./transl.jl)