Oral Answers to Questions Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateBaroness Bray of Coln
Main Page: Baroness Bray of Coln (Conservative - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Baroness Bray of Coln's debates with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
(12 years, 8 months ago)
Commons ChamberT7. There is considerable nervousness among Christian communities across the middle east in these uncertain times, and apparently many Copts are beginning to leave Egypt. What discussions have the Government had with the Egyptian authorities on religious tolerance?
My hon. Friend raises a subject of considerable concern, not only in Egypt, but across a range of countries, as she rightly said. We engage bilaterally with those countries on the importance of the rule of law and of rights, stressing to Governments how important those things are. Equally, I keep in contact with the non-governmental organisations that deal with this issue; I saw representatives of Christians from Pakistan in my office just last week. This is a matter of concern all over the region and so the remarks made by Burhan Ghalioun in Syria about reaching out to Christian minorities there were particularly significant.