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Prime Minister to Attend Second Summit of the Americas in Chile, April 18-19
April 14, 1998
Ottawa, Ontario
Prime Minister Jean Chrétien will attend the Second Summit of the Americas in Santiago, Chile on April 18 and 19, following a meeting with leaders of the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) in Nassau, Bahamas, on April 16.
At the Summit of the Americas, 34 leaders of the Western Hemisphere are expected to launch negotiations for a Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). Canada has already been chosen to chair the FTAA negotiations for the first 18 months. The leaders will also lay out a broad action plan to help improve the quality of life for the region's citizens, guided by four key themes: economic integration and free trade; education; preserving and strengthening democracy and human rights; and eradicating poverty and discrimination.
"A true community of the Americas is unfolding, and the Summit of the Americas has become an important new forum to guide this evolution," said the Prime Minister. "As a nation of the Americas, Canada is committed to working with our hemispheric partners to build a prosperous and peaceful region."
Leaders are also expected to focus on practical initiatives that will help governments and regional institutions build stronger democracies and improve the well-being of the hemisphere's citizens.
The Canada-CARICOM Summit will permit an exchange of views on agenda items of the Santiago Summit, especially the launch of the FTAA and the implications for smaller Caribbean economies. Leaders are also expected to discuss a range of regional political issues.
Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy and International Trade Minister Sergio Marchi will accompany the Prime Minister to CARICOM and the Santiago Summit.
The First Summit of the Americas was held in Miami in December, 1994.
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PMO Press Office: (613) 957-5555
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