Greece and Egypt seeking solution on Sinai Monastery issue, says Gerapetritis

Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis held a meeting in Cairo with his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelatty, regarding the issue of the Greek Orthodox Monastery of Saint Catherine on Mount Sinai.

“Today, we discussed with the Egyptian foreign minister issues concerning the Monastery of Saint Catherine at Mount Sinai. We agreed to work in the immediate future toward securing the rights of the monastery, as well as its legal status,” said Gerapetritis. 

“The intention of both Egypt and Greece is to move forward based on the centuries-old tradition and the already established status of an emblematic monastery, given its Greek Orthodox religious character,” he added.

The Greek delegation that visited Cairo included officials and experts from the ministries of foreign affairs, culture, and education.

According to sources, talks are continuing between the Greek and Egyptian delegations with the aim of finding a mutually acceptable and beneficial solution.

Gerapetritis’ visit to Cairo comes after an Egyptian court ruling stating that the areas surrounding the monastery, including its arable land and wells, are Egyptian state property and that the site would be under the supervision of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.

Athens fears that the decision will facilitate the transformation of the monastery from an active religious site to a museum for visiting tourists and pave the way for the eventual eviction of the monks, since only the monastery’s head, Archbishop Damianos, holds Egyptian citizenship.

During the recent visit by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to Athens in early May and the meeting of the bilateral Supreme Cooperation Council, there had been assurances from the Egyptian side that the monastery’s status will not change.

Source: ekathimerini.com