Egypt and Greece in talks to preserve historic Sinai monastery

St Catherine's is the world's oldest continually inhabited Christian monastery and has been the subject of a land dispute between Egypt and Greece, the latter an Orthodox Christian country keen to preserve what Mitsotakis called "a region of great value for Hellenism".

"Intensive discussions between the Greek and Egyptian foreign ministers have begun," the premier said during a parliamentary debate.

He highlighted "mutual understanding" between the two parties and concluded that "the transformation of the monastery is prohibited, as well as the transformation of any other part of the monastery".

"Obviously the monastic community has the final say," he added, explaining that the agreement guarantees "the preservation of the monks".

The monastery was established in the sixth century at the biblical site of the burning bush in the southern mountains of the Sinai Peninsula.

The major tourist and pilgrimage site located 500 kilometres (300 miles) east of Cairo is, according to biblical tradition, the place where God appeared to Moses.

In May, a Sinai court ruled on the land dispute, concluding that the monastery "is entitled to use" the site, but "the state owns as public property" the land on which it is built -- a ruling that caused Greece concern.

In September, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty reiterated "Egypt's firm commitment to protecting religious places of worship, including St Catherine's Monastery", and "not to harm the sites affiliated with it due to its spiritual value and religious significance".

(AFP)