The Ambassador of Egypt to the European Union, Mr. Ahmed Abu Zeid, was received today in Brussels by PASOK MEP and member of the Budget, Foreign Affairs and American Relations committees of the European Parliament, Nikolas Farantouris, with the developments at the Sinai Monastery and Euro-Egyptian relations at the center of the discussion.
The meeting in Brussels took place simultaneously with the trilateral Egypt - Greece - Cyprus meeting in El Alamein with the participation of Sisi, Mitsotakis and Christodoulides.
According to the relevant press release, the Farantouris-Abu Zeid meeting took place in an excellent atmosphere, following Nikolas Farantouris' previous contacts with Egypt's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Badr Abdelatty, in January 2025 in Strasbourg.
Nikolas Farantouris stressed that Egypt is an important partner for Europe and a key country for ensuring regional stability and energy security, managing migration and free navigation in the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as for Egypt's role in protecting global cultural heritage.
In particular, the PASOK MEP raised the issue that has arisen regarding the status of the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine in Sinai, the oldest continuously operating Christian monastery in the world, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a place of worship of particular importance for the entire Christian world.
“I underlined the importance of safeguarding not only the historical and religious character of the Monastery, but also its property status and the rights arising from its centuries-long religious and institutional presence,” Nikolas Farantouris noted after the meeting, stressing that the issue must be addressed in a way that strengthens and does not weaken the long-standing friendship and strategic relationship between Egypt and the European Union, as well as between Egypt and Greece.
The two men also discussed an upcoming visit by the Greek MEP to Egypt and Sinai in the context of a constructive dialogue.