Brussels, 25/01/2008 (Agence Europe) - Egyptian bad tempers over the European Parliament and the EU in general are continuing apace. Following virulent criticism after the adoption in Strasbourg on 17 January 2008 of a resolution by the European Parliament on Egyptian violations of human rights, the EU27 ambassadors were summoned in Cairo and informed of Egypt's refusal to brook any criticism (see page 4 of EUROPE 9583). Egypt has also this week cancelled a crucial meeting on 23 and 24 January to discuss an action plan under the EU's Neighbourhood Policy, and on 21 January 2008, Egypt boycotted a meeting of the EuroMed Parliamentary Assembly's Economic Parliamentary Commission at the European Parliament. The Egyptian parliamentary delegation used all means at its disposal to get other Arab delegations to boycott the meeting but to no avail. A high-ranking Arab diplomat said that they had not boycotted meetings with the EU even during the worst moments of the Palestine crisis or even over Lebanon, and were not going to boycott them to support a policy, described as indefensible, of threats and harassment of democratic opponents. The Egyptian embassy in Brussels is refusing to comment. Egypt totally rejects the attempts by people who believe they have the authority to investigate human rights issues in Egypt, explained the Egyptian foreign minister, Ahmed Abul Gheit, to the official press agency MENA. He added that the EP resolution showed that the European Parliament was ignorant of the situation in Egypt and also illustrated its ignorance about the political, economic and social reforms introduced in Egypt in recent years. The EU provides Egypt, he added, with €558 million, mainly to encourage economic and political reform. Some 32 Egyptian NGOs have sent an open letter dated 16 January 2008 to the EU-Egypt sub-committee (a body set up under the EU Neighbourhood Policy) highlighting 'a blatant contradiction between the Egyptian government's commitment to human rights … and what practically happens today'. (F.B.)