A "strong condemnation" of "all deeds of violence against the Christian communities, wherever they occur" and the request to the governments concerned to secure to justice those who commit such crimes. This is the meaning of the joint resolution that was submitted today to the European Parliament, gathered in a plenary meeting in Strasbourg. A debate will be held on the subject in the afternoon: after long negotiations, the deputy president of the Assembly, Mario Mauro, could announce a general agreement between the people’s party, the socialist party, the liberal-democrat party and the right-wing Uen, with other, individual MEPs also joining it. The rather broad text includes a long series of episodes that occurred mainly in Asia and in Africa against individuals or groups of believers as well as more or less explicit forms of threats and discrimination. The document recalls that the EU "has said on several occasions to be in favour of the rights of the religious communities and the protection of their identity anywhere in the world, as well as being in favour of the recognition and protection of religious minorities without distinctions". (continued)
