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NEWS RELEASES

September 30, 2003 (1:40 p.m. EDT) No. 144

SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE ARAB LEAGUE TO VISIT CANADA

Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham today announced that the Secretary-General of the Arab League, Amre Moussa, will visit Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal from October 1 to 3, 2003.

"Canada has strong economic and people-to-people ties with the Arab world," said Minister Graham. "I look forward to this first visit by the Secretary-General of the Arab League to further develop these ties and to discuss regional security issues, including the Middle East Peace Process."

During his stay in Ottawa on October 1, Mr. Moussa will meet with Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and Minister Graham, and appear before the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade. Mr. Moussa will also meet representatives of the Arab-Canadian community, through the auspices of the National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.

In Toronto, Mr. Moussa will meet with members of the Canada-Arab Business Council on October 2. He will then travel to Montreal on October 3 to attend meetings organized by the National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.

The Arab League, established in 1945, brings together 22 nations and governments that use Arabic as a common language. The mandate of the Arab League is to promote closer ties among member states and coordinate their policies and their economic, cultural and security plans. Its goals are to develop collective cooperation, protect national security and maintain the independence and sovereignty of member states.

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