Egyptian Copts abandon constitution talks

(Reuters) - Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church has announced it is withdrawing from talks on a new constitution, saying Islamist domination of the drafting body made its participation "pointless", Egypt's state news agency said.

The decision late on Sunday came after Egyptian liberals called for a boycott of the drafting committee, which is seen as failing to represent the nation's diversity.

"The Coptic Orthodox Church General Council agreed with the approval of all of the council's 20 members to withdraw from the constitutional assembly... as it found it was pointless for the church to be represented following the comments made by the national forces about the way the assembly was formed," the state news agency said, quoting a church statement.

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