*EPF108 03/26/01
Text: Commission On International Religious Freedom Visits Egypt
(Three-person delegation will visit other Middle East countries) (500)

Three members of the nine-member U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) issued a statement March 26 saying their just-completed visit to Egypt was "very useful" in better understanding the state of religious freedom there. While in Egypt, the commissioners met with religious leaders, academics, officials and journalists.

The three commissioners will also visit Saudi Arabia, Israel and the West Bank/Gaza. The delegation stated that it would not comment on its findings until all nine members of the Commission were informed about the trip.

The mandate of the USCIRF is to advise the U.S. government on how to promote religious freedom for persons of all faiths.

Following is the text of the March 26 statement issued by the delegation of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF):

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Commission Statement on Visit to Cairo, Egypt

U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 26, 2001

The delegation of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) completed its visit to Egypt on Saturday, March 24 and travels to Saudi Arabia and then to Israel and the Occupied Territories. Three members of the Commission visited Egypt: Elliott Abrams, chairman of the Commission, Dr. Firuz Kazemzadeh, Commission vice-chairman, and Commissioner Dr. Laila Al-Marayati. They will report to the rest of the nine-member Commission about the visit. No findings or conclusions can or will be made by the Commission until all Commission members have been informed about the trip.

"We had been planning for this trip since last summer and it was most informative." The Commission set its travel agenda for the year 2001 shortly after the release of its first report on May 1, 2000.

"The goal of our trip here was to learn firsthand from the Egyptian government, Muslim and Christian clergy and laity, intellectuals, academics, and other experts," Abrams explained. "Under U.S. Law the Commission advises the President, Secretary of State, and the U.S. Congress, not the Egyptian or any other foreign government. Our job is to think about the effects of U.S. foreign policy on religious freedom in various countries. This visit has been very useful to us in performing that job, and we are very grateful to Ambassador Kurtzer and the staff of the U.S. Embassy for helping us achieve it."

The USCIRF is mandated to advise the U.S. government on how to promote religious freedom for persons of all faiths. Its Web site (www.uscirf.gov) reflects the Commission's efforts on behalf of religious liberty around the world, including India, China, Nigeria, and Vietnam.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom was created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to give independent recommen- dations to the executive branch and the Congress. Visit our Web site at www.uscirf.gov.

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(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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