NEWS RELEASES

February 15, 2001 (11:00 a.m. EST) No. 22

PAGTAKHAN TO VISIT

PHILIPPINES, CAMBODIA AND THAILAND

Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific) Rey Pagtakhan today announced that he will visit the Philippines, Cambodia and Thailand from February 18 to 22, 2001. This is Dr. Pagtakhan's first official visit abroad since he was appointed Secretary of State for the Asia-Pacific region by Prime Minister Chrétien in January 2001.

"I am proud to make my first bilateral visit to the Philippines, which is my place of birth," said Dr. Pagtakhan. "This visit to the Philippines, as well as to Cambodia and Thailand, is intended to assure our partners of Canada's ongoing commitment to political partnership and economic development in the region."

Dr. Pagtakhan's agenda begins in Manila, where he will meet with President Macapagal-Arroyo and other key figures in the new Philippine administration. Dr. Pagtakhan is also scheduled to speak to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines and to meet with Asian Development Bank President Tadao Chino.

On February 21, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Dr. Pagtakhan will participate in the opening of a seminar co-hosted by the governments of Canada, Japan and Cambodia, entitled Transparency and Responsibility in Transfers of Conventional Weapons. The seminar will focus on the UN Conventional Arms Register and on regional efforts to lessen the destructive and destabilizing impact of the uncontrolled spread of small arms and light weapons in the Asia-Pacific region. In addition, Dr. Pagtakhan will sign a Memorandum of Understanding, on behalf of Minister for International Co-operation Maria Minna, concerning the Cambodia-Canada Legislative Support Project, which seeks to strengthen Cambodia's National Assembly and Senate. Further, the Secretary of State will visit a CIDA-supported World Vision HIV/AIDS project being undertaken with the Cambodian Ministry of Health and the National AIDS Council.

On February 22, Dr. Pagtakhan will visit Thailand. In meetings with government, business and international organization representatives, he will discuss domestic and regional economic trends, and the foreign, trade and economic policy orientations of the new Thai government. He will also address the Communic Thailand 2001 Communications and Information Technology and Services Exhibition and Conference and will meet with participating Canadian company representatives.

Prior to these bilateral visits to Southeast Asia, Dr. Pagtakhan took part in the Team Canada mission to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong from February 9 to 17, 2001.

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For further information, media representatives may contact:

Sanjeev Chowdhury

Press Secretary

Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs

(613) 995-1851

Diane Gémus

Special Assistant

Office of the Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific)

(613) 995-1852

Media Relations Office

Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

(613) 995-1874