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<title>MINISTERS AXWORTHY AND STEWART TO ATTENDINTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON TERRORISM</title>
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<p><font face="Courier"></font><font face="Univers" size="+2"></font><font face="Univers" size="+2">July 26, 1996 No. 132</font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Univers" size="+2">MINISTERS AXWORTHY AND STEWART TO ATTEND</font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Univers" size="+2">INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON TERRORISM</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy and National Revenue Minister Jane Stewart
will represent Canada at the P-8 Ministerial Conference on terrorism, which will
be held in Paris on July 30. The leaders of the P-8 countries (the G-7 plus
Russia) agreed to this meeting during the G-7 Summit in Lyon in June. It will
provide governments with the opportunity to consider and recommend further actions
in the fight against international terrorism. The Paris Conference will build
upon the work of the Ottawa Ministerial on terrorism, held in December 1995, and
the Summit of the Peacemakers, held in Sharm el Sheik, Egypt, in March 1996.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">"We intend to pursue an international consensus on an effective offensive against
terrorism, consistent with human rights and the rule of law," Mr. Axworthy said.
"While much has been accomplished at previous conferences on terrorism, there are
a number of areas where improvements could be achieved, including enhanced
information-sharing and the re-examination of existing conventions against
specific terrorist acts to determine if there are gaps that need to be filled."</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Revenue Canada customs officers play a critical role at the Canadian border. The
department has initiated an aggressive strategy to introduce high technology and
equipment at the border to streamline customs and immigration processing for low-risk travellers and commercial shipments. This allows Revenue Canada to focus its
resources on high-risk threats to Canada's borders.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">"My aim is to create a 'smart border' that is responsive to the needs of the
majority of honest travellers and importers while ensuring that Canadians continue
to enjoy safe homes and safe streets," Mrs. Stewart said. "The Government hopes
to see progress at this meeting that includes further international action to curb
funding of terrorist groups and the denial of sanctuary to terrorists."</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Canada has long taken a strong stand in the fight against terrorism. Canada has
worked with the Economic Summit countries on terrorism issues for almost 20 years
and has signed all 11 of the international conventions targeting specific
terrorist acts. The guidelines for action set out in the Ottawa Declaration will
provide the foundation for the work of the Paris Ministerial.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">- 30 -</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">For further information, media representatives may contact:</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Catherine Lappe</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Director of Communications</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">(613) 995-1851</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Massimo Bergamini</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Office of the Minister of National Revenue</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">(613) 995-2960</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Media Relations Office</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">(613) 995-1874</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">This document is also available on the Department's Internet site:
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca</font></p>
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