Paris, France, May 18, 2006 / 22:00 pm
French President Jacques Chirac restated his country’s support for Christian minorities in the Middle East, saying that conditions there are “more worrying than ever before,” reported Reuters.
The number of Christians in the Middle East continues to dwindle due to war, emigration and discrimination.
"The Eastern Christians have always been a bridge to Europe and have contributed to the dialogue of cultures long before it became a major issue in international relations," Chirac told six visiting Eastern Catholic patriarchs Monday, reported Reuters.
The patriarchs were in Paris to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the L'Oeuvre d'Orient association that supports them. But they also took the opportunity to urge Chirac to work for peace in the region.