NEWS RELEASES
September 17, 2004 (10:00 a.m. EDT) No. 107
MINISTER PETTIGREW TO ATTEND
UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew today announced that he will attend the
opening of the 59th session of the United Nations General Assembly, from
September 20 to 25, 2004. The Canadian delegation will be led by Prime Minister
Paul Martin.
“I know that Canadians value the work of the United Nations highly and are very proud
of the role Canada plays in it,” said Minister Pettigrew. ”The General Assembly is
always an occasion for us to reflect on how nations can work together to promote peace
and security, human rights and economic development for everyone.”
While in New York, Minister Pettigrew is scheduled to participate in a number of
bilateral meetings with foreign ministers and in meetings of the G8, the Commonwealth
and other multilateral groups.
On September 23, Minister Pettigrew and the Friends of the Comprehensive Nuclear
Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) will sign a Joint Ministerial Statement that reaffirms support for
the Treaty and its verification system. Negotiated in September 1996, the Treaty
prohibits any nuclear weapon test explosion or any other nuclear explosion anywhere in
the world. Canada signed the Treaty in September 1996 and ratified it in
December 1998.
Later that day, Minister Pettigrew will host a luncheon for Human Security Network
(HSN) ministers in his capacity as current Chair of the HSN. During this meeting, the
ministers will discuss pressing political issues in the field of human security and will
review recent developments involving the HSN since its last meeting in Bamako, Mali,
in May 2004.
Minister Pettigrew’s trip will conclude with a meeting of the Commonwealth Ministerial
Action Group on September 25, at which time the Secretary-General of the
Commonwealth will report on progress in Fiji.
- 30 -
For further information, media representatives may contact:
Sébastien Théberge
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
(613) 995-1851
Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs Canada and International Trade Canada
(613) 995-1874
http://www.international.gc.ca
|
