Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria and Patriarch of Saint Mark Diocese said that the Coptic Church rejects getting involved in the ongoing debate on projected constitutional changes of Article 2.

At a meeting Thursday with members of a Rotary club, Pope Shenouda asserted that the Church's involvements in the current deliberations on Article II of the constitution and the type of the state whether religious of secular was not in favour of the country's stability.

Pope Shenouda pointed out the spirit of love among Muslims and Copts that helped solve many problems emanated between them; for example the problem of Coptic endowments that were returned back to the church in favour of love relation between the Ministry of Endowments and the Church.

PA to start debating final amendments to constitution on Sunday

The People's Assembly starts on Sunday 18/03/2007debating a report by the Constitutional and Legislative Committee on the president of the republic's proposal to amend 34 articles of the constitution.

The assembly will vote on the report at the end of the deliberations which will take six morning and evening sessions.

The report pointed out that the amendments were part of President Hosni Mubarak's keenness on deepening democratic practice and giving momentum to the reform and development process in Egypt. Such amendments ensure citizenship principle and non-religion based parties. There will be 3 new warrants for the president's power practice at emergency that threats national unity. Amendments necessitated 3% of parliament seats for any party goes to presidency elections. Amendments also re-organized style of judiciary supervision on elections.