COMMUNIQUÉS

July 26, 1996 No. 132

MINISTERS AXWORTHY AND STEWART TO ATTEND

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON TERRORISM

Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy and National Revenue Minister Jane Stewart will represent Canada at the P-8 Ministerial Conference on terrorism, which will be held in Paris on July 30. The leaders of the P-8 countries (the G-7 plus Russia) agreed to this meeting during the G-7 Summit in Lyon in June. It will provide governments with the opportunity to consider and recommend further actions in the fight against international terrorism. The Paris Conference will build upon the work of the Ottawa Ministerial on terrorism, held in December 1995, and the Summit of the Peacemakers, held in Sharm el Sheik, Egypt, in March 1996.

"We intend to pursue an international consensus on an effective offensive against terrorism, consistent with human rights and the rule of law," Mr. Axworthy said. "While much has been accomplished at previous conferences on terrorism, there are a number of areas where improvements could be achieved, including enhanced information-sharing and the re-examination of existing conventions against specific terrorist acts to determine if there are gaps that need to be filled."

Revenue Canada customs officers play a critical role at the Canadian border. The department has initiated an aggressive strategy to introduce high technology and equipment at the border to streamline customs and immigration processing for low-risk travellers and commercial shipments. This allows Revenue Canada to focus its resources on high-risk threats to Canada's borders.

"My aim is to create a 'smart border' that is responsive to the needs of the majority of honest travellers and importers while ensuring that Canadians continue to enjoy safe homes and safe streets," Mrs. Stewart said. "The Government hopes to see progress at this meeting that includes further international action to curb funding of terrorist groups and the denial of sanctuary to terrorists."

Canada has long taken a strong stand in the fight against terrorism. Canada has worked with the Economic Summit countries on terrorism issues for almost 20 years and has signed all 11 of the international conventions targeting specific terrorist acts. The guidelines for action set out in the Ottawa Declaration will provide the foundation for the work of the Paris Ministerial.

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For further information, media representatives may contact:

Catherine Lappe

Director of Communications

Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs

(613) 995-1851

Massimo Bergamini

Office of the Minister of National Revenue

(613) 995-2960

Media Relations Office

Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

(613) 995-1874

This document is also available on the Department's Internet site: http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca