VATICAN CITY: The Vatican on Tuesday said it "completely shares" Egypt’s wish to avoid an escalation of inter-religious tensions, after Cairo recalled its envoy to the Holy See.
Egypt said Tuesday it was recalling the ambassador over remarks by Pope Benedict XVI condemning a bomb attack on Coptic Christians.
The Vatican "completely shares the (Egyptian) government’s concern with ‘avoiding an escalation of clashes and religious tensions,’ and appreciates its efforts in this direction," spokesman Federico Lombardi quoted Vatican Foreign Minister Dominique Mamberti as saying during a meeting with the recalled ambassador.
Mamberti also said the Vatican "shares the shock of all the Egyptian people, who were struck by the attack in Alexandria" that killed 23 people as worshippers emerged from midnight mass on New Year’s, Lombardi said.
An Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman said the ambassador was being recalled following "new statements from the Vatican concerning Egypt which are considered by Egypt as unacceptable interference in its internal affairs".
The head of the Roman Catholic Church has expressed his solidarity with the Copts and called on world leaders to protect them in the aftermath of the church bombing.
In his latest statement on the tragedy, the pope on Monday said the attack was "yet another sign of the urgent need for the governments of the region to adopt … effective measures for the protection of religious minorities".
The comments were part of a strongly worded defense of the rights of Christians living in majority Muslim countries in which the pope also called on Pakistan to scrap a controversial law against blasphemy.
On New Year’s Day in the hours immediately after the Copt attack, the pope had called for an end to the "discrimination, abuse and religious intolerance which are today striking Christians in particular."
