SPEECHES

CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY

NOTES FOR AN ADDRESS BY

THE HONOURABLE JOHN MANLEY,

MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS,

TO THE G-8 FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING

ROME, Italy

July 18, 2001

I would like to first of all thank Foreign Minister Ruggiero for his warm hospitality. It is always with great pleasure that I come back to Rome. I am impressed with the work we have accomplished under the Italian Presidency in preparation for this year's meeting. We have a comprehensive agenda covering many of the world's most pressing global challenges and regional crises. Through our collective efforts I believe we can make a positive contribution.

Citizen Engagement

I am sure I speak for all of us around this table when I say that citizen engagement is a key priority. Public debate and engagement with civil society is useful as a means of strengthening the legitimacy of the G-8 process. It also serves as a vital part of a process of engagement and partnership that will be integral to the long-term success of our initiatives.

The G-8 should encourage open debate of the key Summit themes and issues and the policy choices we face. We should all commit to greater openness and transparency of the Summit process, and to building strong, inclusive partnerships with the private sector, civil society and developing countries to meet key global challenges.

Canada's experience at the Summit of the Americas in Quebec City in April demonstrated that leaders and ministers need to reach out to citizens and engage them on a broad range of issues. We should not shy away from a broader discussion of governance issues in the era of globalization, for in discussing these issues, we can better ensure that our own institutions are responding to the needs of our citizens. We can also ensure that global institutions truly reflect the concerns and priorities of developing countries.

In the G-8 we have already seen just how successful we can be in reaching out and engaging key partners. The Digital Opportunities Task Force (DOT Force) is a prime example of G-8 governments working closely with developing countries, business and civil society as a model for a successful inclusive approach to dealing with international priorities. Our own discussions on conflict prevention have been enriched when government officials have met with non-government experts.

Conflict Prevention

Conflict prevention is an important agenda item for Canada. No approach can be more effective in reducing the human costs of war than preventing the outbreak of violent conflict in the first place.

The G-8 has made solid overall progress in following through on the commitments made in Miyazaki last year. We have worked on better controlling and licensing for small arms exports, and we have supported efforts to reduce existing accumulations of small arms. We are providing our unequivocal support to the UN conference on small arms, currently underway. We have worked with the UN to improve its international civilian police capacities. We have worked to identify the positive role the private sector can play in conflict prevention and post-conflict reconstruction. We have also explored the conflict-related implications of development assistance.

The G-8's conflict prevention action plan of last year, and the progress report we are issuing, demonstrate our capacity to deliver concrete results. Of course, a lot of work remains to be done. These are issues in which the G-8 can make a difference and I believe that we should remain active on conflict prevention for the foreseeable future.

I would like to take this opportunity to provide an update on the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty. This Commission is supported by Canada and has been engaged in an intensive work program: roundtable consultations in every region of the world, bilateral and multilateral briefings in Ottawa and New York, commissioning of research from experts, scholars and practitioners, and meetings in each of the P5 [Permanent 5] capitals. Commissioners are now entering the final phase of their mandate and hope to deliver their report to me no later than November 2001.

This has been an extremely inclusive and transparent dialogue. Canada remains fully committed to bringing this issue back to the United Nations, where we believe a more formal debate on the issues must take place.

As such, Canada has undertaken to deliver the Commission's report to Secretary- General Annan for his review and consideration. While we are not seeking formal consideration of its contents at UNGA56 [United Nations General Assembly 56], we will look to work with member states over the course of the winter to ascertain the feasibility of bringing this issue back to the UN the following year.

In doing so, let me say that Canada is aware that extreme care will need to be exercised in moving this issue from informal dialogue to formal discussion. There will be many legitimate concerns voiced along the way. At the same time, we believe that it is essential to get the conversation going and to advance the debate -- however difficult -- in order to ensure that the international community does not stand idle in the face of future atrocities.

I look forward to hearing your views and to continuing our discussions as this process advances.

Small Arms

I want to take a moment and speak further to the issue of small arms. Access to small arms and light weapons is one of the key contributors to instability and conflict situations throughout the world. This issue is also an integral part of Canada's policies on conflict prevention and management, peacekeeping and post-conflict reconstruction.

I strongly support the landmark United Nations conference on small arms and light weapons currently taking place in New York. It is our common responsibility and duty to address the human suffering and insecurity caused by the excessive and destabilizing accumulation and uncontrolled proliferation of small arms and light weapons. It is important that the resulting Programme of Action is comprehensive and will lead to concrete progress.

Non-proliferation, Arms Control and Disarmament

The G-8 must also show leadership if momentum on global disarmament and non-proliferation is to be restored. Our collective resolve will be key to generating the political will necessary to overcome current uncertainties and make real progress on the implementation of the practical steps coming out of the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference last year. We need to take a number of steps: achieve early entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty; restart negotiations in the UN Conference on Disarmament on the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty; implement Start II; and conclude Start III.

The Ottawa Convention is making a real difference to the global landmine problem and to human lives. We now have a clear universal norm. Since 1997, 117 states have formally accepted its obligations by ratifying or acceding. Twenty-one States Parties have completed destruction of stocks totalling 11 million mines. Trade in landmines has been all but eliminated, and the number of producers has dropped from 54 to 16. In 1999, seven of the largest mine clearance programs cleared a combined total of almost 170 square kilometres of land. And the casualty rate in several heavily mined countries has declined substantially.

Continued support from the G-8 is key to a continued commitment of major donors to address the landmine issue. More resources will be needed for mine action programs. In particular, the massive stockpiles of mines in the countries of the former Soviet Union pose a challenge the G-8 is well-positioned to meet.

The conclusion is that the structures we have built in the past 30 years are vital to our security interests. It is the right path. We must persevere on it. There is much to be done and the G-8 can lead that process if we work together.

Terrorism

The G-8 continues to play an important role in co-ordinating the fight against international terrorism, but there is more to do. We have developed a body of international law to combat terrorism, which we should continue to promote. We should also strengthen our co-operation to combat both traditional threats as well as emerging threats arising from terrorists' use of information technology.

Co-ordinating our efforts on key regional issues is one of our most important objectives.

Balkans

I remain cautiously optimistic about long-term stabilization in the Balkans. I am very pleased, for example, by recent developments, including the extradition of former Prime Minister Milosevic to The Hague. We need to continue to implement a balanced approach that includes support for reforms and reconstruction coupled with continued encouragement regarding further co-operation with the ICTY [International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia].

Last May, I visited the FRY, Bosnia and Kosovo. These visits reinforced my view that Canada will need to maintain its commitment to building peace and stability in the region, including through the presence of our peacekeeping troops in Bosnia. It is also clear that levels of intolerance and distrust remain very high, and in key regions tensions continue to escalate. We will need to be ready to respond quickly to avert any further escalation of violence.

Canada strongly supports the NATO-EU brokered cease-fire in Macedonia. It is an important step in achieving a peaceful resolution of the conflict, but there is more to do. We urge both the insurgents and the Macedonian security forces to fully respect the terms of their indefinite cease-fire agreements.

There is no military solution to the conflict. It is only through a successful outcome in the political dialogue that the conditions for the insurgents to cease fighting and lay down their weapons will emerge. We hope that all parties will seize the opportunity for a successful outcome to the political dialogue that this cease-fire provides. We urge all parties to negotiate in good faith and to make the necessary concessions to achieve a peace settlement. We encourage the Macedonian government to maintain an openness to addressing constitutional issues and ensuring equal access to education and language, as well as appropriate representation in public and security institutions.

Canada is discussing with our allies how best to further contribute to the peace process in Macedonia. Over the last two years, Canada has opened a small office in Skopje, and we have provided $5.7 million to Macedonia, mainly for economic reform and democratization. In addition, since the crisis began, we have provided $700 000 in humanitarian assistance to those people affected by recent events in northern Macedonia. Presently, we are considering options for support for the multi-ethnic University of Tetovo. In addition, we will be looking at sending technical experts to assist Macedonia with improving governance. Finally, through the work of the approximately 80 Canadian police officers on duty in neighbouring Kosovo, we continue to contribute our efforts to improve security for people in the region. In doing so, our police can have a positive impact on the security of people in Macedonia.

Middle East Peace Process

The ongoing crisis between Israel and the Palestinians continues to take an unbearable toll on human lives. My visit to the Middle East in May reinforced my view that there can be no military solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Both parties must recognize that force is not the answer, take immediate steps to end the violence and return to peace negotiations. In this respect, the report of the Mitchell Commission, which has been accepted by both parties, provides the best available framework for moving forward. Canada supports the G-8 call for international monitors to facilitate the peace process. Canada will continue to work, including through its leadership on the refugee issue, for a just resolution to the conflict that meets the legitimate aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians.

The economic repercussions of the ongoing crisis threaten the stability of Israel's peace partner in the Palestinian Authority and thereby the ability of the parties to forge a just and lasting settlement. We call upon Israel to remit customs and other revenues owing to the Palestinian Authority and take other necessary steps to help ensure its stability. We also welcome efforts by the donor community to provide urgent assistance to the Palestinian Authority during this time of crisis.

Israel, Lebanon and Syria should promptly revive negotiations consistent with the principle of "land for peace," in order to peacefully resolve their differences. It is our strong expectation that all parties refrain from military actions against each other, thus preventing the escalation of tension and the risks of conflict.

Korean Peninsula

Canada established diplomatic relations with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) last February. This has provided us with new opportunities to engage the North Korean government directly on a wide range of bilateral and multilateral issues. Furthermore, engagement with the DPRK can help to promote stability in the region and, I believe, will allow us to open the door to improvement, however gradual it may be, in domestic conditions.

We expect to continue to provide humanitarian assistance, establish a modest bilateral assistance program and engage in dialogue where we shall express Canadian concerns about missiles, proliferation and human rights.

In the coming days I will be heading to the meetings of the ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] Regional Forum in Hanoi. This will provide an important opportunity to further discuss this issue with key regional partners.

Canadian G-8 Presidency in 2002

The Italian Presidency continues until the end of the year. We look forward to following through on our discussions under their continued leadership in the months ahead.

While it is too early to say anything about Canadian priorities for next year, I will certainly work hard to advance the main issues discussed under the excellent leadership of the Italian Presidency this year. Citizen engagement will be a priority.

The G-8 remains a high priority for Canada. We look forward to building on our positive achievements this year and to welcoming the G-8 Summit and ministerial processes in 2002.

Thank you.