Bob Carr (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Australia joins the people of Egypt and the Coptic Church in mourning the death of his Holiness Pope Shenouda III. His Holiness served in religious life for 60 years and led the Coptic Church in Egypt for four decades. I was honoured to have met him twice as Premier and once as opposition leader. He has been described as the 117th patriarch of Alexandria in a continuous line of succession since the Apostle Mark founded Christianity in Egypt. He was a respected religious and spiritual leader, recognised—and this is important in today's world—for his commitment to religious tolerance and coexistence. This morning I spoke to His Excellency Mr Omar Metwally, Egypt's ambassador in Australia, to convey my condolences. I will speak with Bishop Suriel and Bishop Daniel, of Melbourne and Sydney respectively.

The death of Pope Shenouda comes at a difficult time for the Coptic community in Egypt. On 6 March, as foreign minister designate, I asked Australia's ambassador in Cairo, Dr Ralph King, to convey Australian concerns about growing sectarian violence in Egypt. The ambassador has met senior Coptic Church members and visited a number of Coptic churches to demonstrate Australia's strong support for religious freedom and the rule of law. One of these, the fourth century Church of Sts Sergius and Bacchus, is one of the oldest churches in Egypt. Ambassador King also visited the Hanging Church and the Cathedral of St Mark, the seat of His Holiness Pope Shenouda III.