NEWS RELEASES

August 9, 2000 (12:55 p.m. EDT) No. 195

AXWORTHY TO MEET WITH U.S. AND MEXICAN COUNTERPARTS

Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy today announced that he will be in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on August 11 and 12 to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Mexican Foreign Secretary Rosario Green. The ministers will discuss co-operation on a broad range of trilateral, hemispheric and global issues during the third annual Trilateral Ministerial Meeting.

"Canada, the U.S. and Mexico are important partners, and our relationship is growing stronger as we co-operate increasingly in the international arena," said Minister Axworthy. "This meeting provides an opportunity to assess our trilateral partnership, as well as discuss preparations for the Summit of the Americas, to take place in Quebec City in April 2001, and key global issues such as democratic development."

Mr. Axworthy will brief the U.S. and Mexico on the Organization of American States (OAS) mission to Peru, which explored ways of strengthening democracy in that country. Mr. Axworthy co-led the mission in his capacity as Chair of the OAS General Assembly.

The ministers will address ways to enhance trilateral co-operation on regional and global issues within the framework of international forums, such as the Summit of the Americas and the upcoming United Nations General Assembly. They will discuss progress on the OAS Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism against drug trafficking.

Civil society has been identified by all three ministers as an important area for North American co-operation. In this regard, the ministers will discuss the North American Youth Conference, which will take place August 17 to 19 in Ottawa and Montreal. The Conference will bring together future leaders and opinion makers from Canada, the U.S. and Mexico to network and share views on the topics of governance, culture and sustainable development. The ministers will endorse a joint statement to the Conference.

At the last Trilateral Ministerial Meeting held in September 1999 in New York, the ministers agreed to establish a trilateral inventory that would provide a snapshot of North American partnerships, including agreements, associations, organizations and institutions in both the private and public sectors. Canada has compiled an inventory that Mr. Axworthy will share with his counterparts during the meeting.

The ministers will also assess progress to date under the Memorandum of Understanding on Development Assistance, which was signed when they met last year, and discuss the potential for furthering collaboration in disaster preparedness. They will look at new trilateral co-operation in the arts and education, and Minister Axworthy will raise the concept of "green corridors," which takes into account environmental concerns in trade transportation planning.

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For further information, media representatives may contact:

Debora Brown

Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs

(613) 995-1851

Media Relations Office

Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

(613) 995-1874