At a critical turning point the case enters Holy Monastery of St. Catherine in Sinai, As today, in Cairo, negotiations between Athens and Cairo begin on the future of the historic monastery. Head of the Greek delegation is the Minister of Foreign Affairs, George Gerapetritis, who is called upon to manage a diplomatic puzzle with religious, legal and geopolitical implications.
Decision-Pedestrian and fragile balances
The Greek side is coming on the table of consultations Under the heavy shadow of the recent Egyptian Court of Appeal decision, which directly challenges the ownership of the monastery on its assets. This is an evolution that has sounded an alarm in Athens, as there is a risk of creating accomplished, which can alter the character and administrative autonomy of one of the oldest Christian monasteries in the world.
This decision is alleged to be based In pressures of economic and political circles in Egypt They seek to exploit the area as a tourist pole, something that – if implemented – may even bring about the conversion of the monastery into a museum.
Athens’ mission and stakes
The Greek mission, in which Executives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Education, Culture and Religions participate, It has one goal: to reinstate the debate on the basis of the agreements reached between the two governments, and in particular the Greek-Egypt Cooperation Council on May 7. There, there was a clear political will to remain the ownership of the monastery in the hands of the Greek Orthodox Church.
At the same time, Athens wants to ensure that the historical and religious character of the monastic complex will not be altered – neither in the present nor in the future.
Traps and shadows in the negotiations
However, the negotiation is not simple. The risks to the Greek side are real:
Setting of ownership from religious character: The Egyptian side’s possible attempt to separate the monastery’s legal possession from its function as a religious institution could lead to restrictions, changes and gradual deconstruction of its autonomy.
Use of the judicial decision as a pressure lever: Validation of the confiscation of assets can be a negotiating weapon for Cairo, making it difficult to return to the previous regime.
Signature delay: The avoidance of explicit commitment by the Egyptian side to the ownership issue so far has caused concern. Despite oral assurances, the lack of guarantees leaves room for maneuvering.
What does Athens expect
The diplomatic bet on the Greek side is to achieve a political solution which will prevail with legal involvement. The strategy focuses on invoking the previous agreements, but also on official Egyptian documents submitted to UNESCO and recognizing the ownership of the Greek Orthodox Church since 2002.
The aim of Athens is for the monastery to fully maintain its property, to continue its operation seamlessly and to prevent any possible conversion to a distorted tourist attraction.
The scenarios for the next day
1. Restoration of Status Quo: The most favorable version for Greece is a political agreement that will practically overturn the impact of the judicial decision and will ensure that the monastery remains under Greek ecclesiastical ownership.
2. Expropriation or restriction of property: A negative scenario includes the imposition of the judicial decision, which provides for expropriation of much of the property and the conversion of the monastery into a cultural or tourist area.
3. Mixed solution – political compromise: An interim is to find a legal -political settlement that will allow the Monastery to continue its religious activity, but with limited or controlled management of its property.
4. Dealing collapse: The most unfavorable scenario is that there is no agreement, with Egypt proceeding to fully implement the court ruling – a development that will trigger serious diplomatic tensions.
The wider geopolitical image
Athens, in addition to the legal and cultural dimension of the issue, wishes to maintain its strong relationships with Egypt, Especially in the energy and geostrategic axis of the Eastern Mediterranean. That is why he seeks to avoid rupture by keeping the diplomatic channel open, but without receiving fundamental issues.