Maher meets UN human rights commissioner
Egypt, Culture, 3/2/2002

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher conferred on Thursday with UN Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson who is currently on a Visit to Egypt.

Following the meeting, Maher said the talks dealt with the conditions of human rights in Palestine, and the report submitted to the UN in this respect, and the importance of activating the proposals included in the report, especially as regards sending human rights observers to the Palestinian territories.

He added that the talks also covered issues related to the social, economic and developmental aspects of human rights. They also probed the issue of terrorism and the necessity that fighting terrorism should go parallel with respect for human rights.

The meeting further covered human rights conditions in Egypt, Maher said, noting that he assured Robinson that Egypt was keen on respecting human rights.

He said all measures taken by Egypt were applied within the context of the constitution and legal legitimacy.

Maher pointed out that non-governmental organizations were working freely in the field of human rights and in close cooperation with the government in order to face any infringements of human rights.

Egypt fully respects human rights and does not allow any violations, he added.

Robinson met with senior Egyptian officials, Interior Minister, A1 Azhar Grand Imam, Justice Minister, UN human rights officials.

Interior Minister Habib Al-Adly expressed on Thursday the ministry's keenness on preserving all human rights principles.

During his meeting with Mary Robinson, Adly said the ministry formed a committee to follow up all issues related to human rights and look into any complaints in this regard.

He also referred to the ministry's interest in improving the prisoners' conditions and providing medical and social care to them.

The minister added that the flogging penalty had been scrapped because of its contradiction with the human rights principles.

Adly noted that the emergency law is being applied in Egypt under full judicial supervision.

Meanwhile, A1 Azhar Grand Imam Mohammed Sayed Tantawi stressed during his meeting with Robinson that keeping Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat under siege breaches all human rights. He called on the Security Council to interfere to end Arafat's confinement.

Speaking on human rights in Egypt, he said Muslims and Christians in Egypt have the same rights and duties, adding that Islam guarantees the rights of freedom and dignity.

He stressed that Al-Azhar was the first official religious institution to condemn the September 11 attacks.

Tantawi expressed Azhar scholars' readiness to meet their European counterparts at any time.

Robinson, on her part, said she presented to the UN commission a report calling for sending international observers to the Palestinian lands.

She added that she urged UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to lift the Israeli siege of Arafat.

Justice Minister Meets UN Human Rights Commissioner:

The remarks were made during a meeting the minister held with visiting UN Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson.

The issue of human rights is one of the UN's basic responsibilities, Nasr said, adding that no given power or world state should be allowed to monopolize the protection of human rights, which was the concern of the entire world community.

Nasr noted that human rights and basic freedoms were enshrined in the Egyptian Constitution.

Meanwhile, Minister of Insurance and Social Affairs Amina El-Gendy received on Thursday Mary Robinson.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed a number of social issues and the policies adopted by Egypt to support the role of Egyptian women in the community, prohibit discrimination against women, develop care for children and realize equality of opportunity in education, especially in the rural areas.

El-Gendy reviewed with the UN official efforts exerted by Egypt to activate the role of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to implement plans for comprehensive development.

The minister pointed out that the political leadership was interested in the role played by NGOs in the social and economic development of society side by side with the Egyptian government.

Meantime, Robinson lauded on Thursday the positive developments achieved in Egypt as regards women's rights.

At a lecture at the Cairo University, she said there is a strong civil society in Egypt, adding that her commission is ready to offer technical assistance to Egypt in this field.

She said she is following up on steps to set up an Arab organization for women under the umbrella of the Arab league.

Speaking on the Palestinian cause, Robinson said the Palestinians are facing a difficult time in the Palestinian lands. She added that she is shocked over the way the Palestinians are living.

She underlined the importance of dispatching international observers to the Palestinian lands to preserve security there.

She pointed to her recent statement which backed UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's call to remove restrictions imposed on Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat's movement.

Israeli occupation in itself is the basis of the human rights problem, she said, underlining the importance of putting into force the Fourth Geneva Convention on refugees' rights.

She welcomed a Saudi peace plan which offers Israel normal ties with the Arabs in return for full withdrawal from the land it occupied in 1967.

In remarks following the lecture, Robinson said she realized that Israeli occupation of Arab land was negatively affecting ties between the Arab and Islamic nation and the West.

Previous Stories:
  Court suspension of two persons for religious belief   (3/1/2002)
  UN Human Rights Commissioner Robinson to address Cairo University scholars   (2/28/2002)
  Children's rights occupy special priority in country's policy   (2/18/2002)
  Egypt backs establishing world organization for women   (10/24/2001)
  National council for women, pillar of development in society   (10/22/2001)
  Egypt's role in propagating human rights   (1/11/2001)
  Egypt presses for boosting development, human rights   (12/9/2000)

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