NEWS RELEASES

July 14, 2006 (9:45 a.m. EDT)
No. 80

GUATEMALAN FOREIGN MINISTER TO VISIT CANADA

The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, today announced the visit to Canada of Jorge Briz Abularach, Guatemala’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, from July 13 to 18, 2006.

“I look forward to meeting with my Guatemalan counterpart and welcome this opportunity for discussions,” said Minister MacKay. “Our common interests extend beyond the historic, economic and people-to-people ties between Canada and Guatemala, and include shared goals in hemispheric and global forums.”

Canada remains a strong supporter of Guatemala’s ongoing peace process, and it continues to promote freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law in that country. At the same time, Guatemala has become an important regional trade and investment partner for Canada; it is now the seventh-largest destination for Canadian exports in the Americas.

Minister MacKay will host a bilateral meeting with Minister Briz on July 18, which will be followed by a dinner for the Guatemalan minister and his delegation.

This will be Mr. Briz’s first official visit to Canada as Minister of Foreign Affairs. Before arriving in Ottawa, he will travel to Quebec to officially inaugurate the Consulate General of Guatemala in Montreal and meet with seasonal agricultural workers.

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For further information, media representatives may contact:

Foreign Affairs Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
613-995-1874
http://www.international.gc.ca