The European Parliament met with the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) and the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network Wednesday to discuss their respective annual reports on human rights in the Arab world. The European Council and officials from its member states will also convene in two days to discuss the same topic.
At the meeting, European MPs voiced regret over Egypt’s "unwillingness" to engage in dialogue with European institutions on domestic human rights issues. They said Egypt’s partnership with the EU allowed for the discussion of such matters, which should not be considered "interference" in Egypt’s domestic affairs.
They went on to urge Egyptian officials to accept constructive criticism, given Egypt’s leading position on the regional and international stages.
According to CIHRS Managing Director Motaz el-Fogeiri, reform in the Arab world in general–and Egypt in particular–had yet to progress due to the lack of political will on the part of its leadership.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
