Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 320: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the action he has taken to defend the human, religious and cultural rights of Christian communities in the Middle-East with particular reference to Egypt, Syria, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23873/07]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Christian communities in the Middle East comprise a large number of often very ancient churches. They are for the most part comparatively small communities, geographically dispersed among the much larger Muslim societies in which they live. Along with other minority communities, they are particularly vulnerable in times of war or tension. The number of Christians across the region has fallen in recent years, due to a combination of economic, political, security and sectarian pressure. Minority Christian communities feel increasingly vulnerable to the consequences of the instability in the Middle East. I share the concern about their situation and have followed developments through our diplomatic missions and my own contacts, including the Holy See which maintains close links with many of these communities. I have raised the problems facing the Christian communities with my EU colleagues during our regular discussions on the Middle East.

The difficulties facing Palestinian Christians are a direct result of the absence of a lasting and peaceful settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is estimated that in 1948, Christians represented some 20%, or 350,000, of the population of the Holy Land. There are now no more than 50,000 Christians living in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. I observed the difficulties facing the Christian population of Bethlehem when I visited the town earlier this year. The promotion of a viable two-state solution which will secure the rights of all Israeli and Palestinian citizens is a foreign policy priority for the Government. A vital element in any such solution will be agreement on the status of Jerusalem, a city of central importance to the Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths.

The position in Egypt is unusual in the Middle East, as approximately 10% of the population are members of a single large Christian church, the ancient Coptic Church. There are also a number of much smaller other Christian communities. I am aware of the increased pressure felt by Egyptian Christians in recent years, primarily as a result of the rise in fundamentalist groups strongly opposed to the Egyptian Government. The overall human rights situation in Egypt is kept closely under review within the EU. Our concerns are raised under the structures of the EU-Egypt Association Agreement, and the EU-Egypt Action Plan agreed earlier this year.

The EU has continued to raise human rights issues with the authorities in both Syria and Jordan. It is important to note, however, that there have not been widespread reports of particular difficulties experienced by Christian communities in these countries. Both Syria and Jordan are currently providing refuge to very large numbers of refugees from the conflict in Iraq, including many Iraqi Christians. The threat to Christian communities in Iraq is particularly grave, often as a result of wider sectarian tensions not specifically directed at them. Many feel that as members of widely dispersed minority communities, they have no option but to flee the country.

I am gravely concerned for the future of these communities, which have existed in Iraq almost since the beginning of the Christian era. Their security will not be assured until there is a political solution in Iraq based on national reconciliation and regional co-operation. In the meantime, there is an onus on the international community to provide humanitarian assistance to the needs of Iraqi refugees and internally displaced persons. In January, I announced an additional €3 million in assistance through UN agencies and non-governmental organisations, and we are considering what additional assistance we can provide.

On a broader level, Ireland, and its EU partners consistently champion the right to freedom of religion or belief in all relevant bilateral and multilateral contacts. We have always strongly supported resolutions at the UN on the elimination of all forms of intolerance and of discrimination on the basis of religion or belief. Most recently, in March this year, Ireland co-sponsored a resolution on religious intolerance at the UN Human Rights Council. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights both guarantee the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including the right to have and adopt a religious belief. Ireland believes that constitutional and legislative systems should provide adequate and effective protection of these rights to all without distinction and that effective remedies should be made available where violations of such rights occur.