NEWS RELEASES

April 11, 2006 (3:30 p.m. EDT)
No. 35

MINISTER MACKAY TO TRAVEL TO WASHINGTON

Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay today announced that he will be in Washington, D.C., on April 13, 2006, to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

“I am happy to have this opportunity to sit down with Secretary Rice and to build on the positive momentum established in the recent meeting in Cancun between Prime Minister Stephen Harper and President George W. Bush,” said Minister MacKay. “We are committed to pursuing a productive and cooperative relationship with our closest ally and friend.”

Minister MacKay and Secretary Rice will have a meeting followed by a working lunch. Discussions are expected to cover a wide range of bilateral issues including border management and transboundary waters. Minister MacKay and Secretary Rice are also expected to talk about hemispheric developments and cooperation, as well as global issues, including international security and UN reform.

While in Washington, Minister MacKay will also take the opportunity to meet with the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza. In their discussions, Minister MacKay and Secretary General Insulza will discuss a number of important hemispheric issues, including support for governance and democracy in the Americas.

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