There were many reports today on Egypt’s recall of its ambassador to the Vatican. The recall comes in light of the recent statements by Pope Benedict XVI calling on Middle Eastern countries to better protect Christian minorities.
Al-Akhbār’s page one report is headlined: "Egypt Summons its Ambassador to the Vatican following Statements Touching on Internal Affairs." The text says that Egyptian Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Ambassador Husām Zakī, announced that Cairo had instructed the Ambassador to the Vatican, Lamyā’ Mikhīmar, to return to Cairo for consultations.
According to Zakī, the summons comes against a background of the pope's most recent statements on Monday, when he claimed that the Alexandria bombing was evidence that the region's governments should adopt "effective measures for the protection of religious minorities." Zakī says that Egypt considers such statements to be an "unacceptable interference in its internal affairs."
He added that Foreign Minister Ahmad Abū al-Ghayt has already responded to many of the accusations in a letter sent to his Vatican counterpart.
In his letter, the foreign minister rejected any endeavors to use the Alexandria crime to promote what was termed the protection of Christians in the Middle East. Zakī emphasized that Coptic matters are an integral part of internal Egyptian affairs, especially in light of the social makeup and national fabric of Egypt.
[The report was also published in Al-Wafd, p.1, Al-Aḥrār, p.1, Rose al-Yūsuf, p.5, Al-Shurūq al-Jadīd, p.3.]
