The Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union has finally agreed a statement condemning 
violence specifically against Christians. The statement does not specify the countries in which this violence is taking place, however.
The statement, intended as a reaction to to a recent spate of violence against Christians in Egypt and Iraq, also refers to violence against Muslims without being specific.
Earlier this month, a row erupted between Baroness Catherine Ashton, the EU’s High Representative on Foreign Affairs, and the Italian and French foreign ministers because a draft resolution sponsored by her office made no specific reference to violence against Christians.
The new statement expresses the Council’s “profound concern about the increasing number of acts of religious intolerance and discrimination, as epitomised by recent violence and acts of terrorism, in various countries, against Christians and their places of worship, Muslim pilgrims and other religious communities, which it firmly condemns”.
It adds: “Regrettably, no part of the world is exempt from the scourge of religious intolerance.”
The European Parliament passed a resolution a month ago specifically condemning attacks on Christians and calling on this week’s Council of Ministers meeting to discuss the issue and respond to it. The resolution was co-sponsored by Fine Gael MEP, Gay Mitchell.
However, the draft statement devised by a working group of the European Council for Foreign Affairs failed to do this and instead referred only to “increasing number of acts of religious intolerance, discrimination and violence” adding, “No part of the world is exempt from the scourge of religious intolerance.”.
Ireland was represented at the meeting by its Permanent Representative to the European Union, Ambassador Rory Montgomery and backed the draft that failed to mention attacks on Christians.
The resolution called on the Council “to discuss the question of the persecution of Christians and respect for religious freedom or belief, which discussion should give rise to concrete results, especially as regards the instruments that can be used to provide security and protection for Christian communities under threat, wherever in the world they may be”.
The Council’s agreed resolution insists that freedom of religion or belief “is a universal human right which needs to be protected everywhere and for everyone”.
It continues: “It is the primary duty of States to protect their citizens, including persons belonging to religious minorities, as well as all people living in their jurisdiction, and safeguard their rights.
“All persons belonging to religious communities and minorities should be able to practice their religion and worship freely, individually or in community with others, without fear of intolerance and attacks.
“Freedom of religion or belief is intrinsically linked to freedom of opinion and expression as well as to other human rights and fundamental freedoms, which all contribute to the building of pluralist and democratic societies.”
COMECE, which represents the Catholic Bishops of Europe at EU level, welcomed the resolution, saying that a combination of common sense and political will had secured a “strong statement urgently needed to stop the widespread acts of terrorism and sectarianism against Christians worldwide”.
However it added that “the security and survival of Christian communities, especially in the Middle East, requires concrete action”.
It urged the Council to “translate these words into concrete action in order to guarantee that Christian and other religious minorities all over the world can enjoy the much needed fundamental rights and freedoms, including freedom of religion, that they are currently deprived of”.
