Scottish Catholic Observer

Cardinal Antonios Naguib, Patriarch of Alexandria, (above) welcomed the interim military regime’s stated aim of dismantling the autocratic style of government built up over 30 years by Hosni Mubarak, who resigned as president last Friday.

Signalling his strong support for the first declarations of the temporary administration which has replaced Mr Mubarak, Patriarch Naguib stressed the importance of the new government’s commitment to a civil system of government.

Speaking from Alexandria in an interview with the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need, Patriarch Naguib, who is the public face Egypt’s 200,000 Coptic Catholics and 8 million Coptic Orthodox, said he was very encouraged by recent developments.

“Moving towards a civil, democratic government, rather than a religious or a military one, has been our hope for a long time, it has been a dream,” he said. “We will encourage very much all the members of the Church to participate in the elections. It is for us an historic opportunity.”

Patriarch Naguib said whoever formed the new government would face a huge challenge.

“The social problems in Egypt are so many and so huge that they cannot be solved in one go, It will take time,” he said. “The country does not have an unending amount of treasure to enable an immediate improvement in the standard of living.”

The Patriarch also downplayed fears that political uncertainty would play into the hands of extremists and groups such as the political movement, the Muslim Brotherhood.

“If the Muslim Brothers enter into the framework of a civil society as a party with a very clear programme they are as welcome as any other political party,” he said. “However, if they want to transform Egypt into a religious country with Sharia law then I think that not only the Christians but more than half the population will not accept that.”

For more information visit the website of Aid to the Church in Need at http://www.acnuk.org.