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<title>AXWORTHY SENDS SPECIAL ENVOY TO ALGERIA</title>
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<p><font face="Univers"></font><font face="Univers" size="+2"></font><font face="Univers" size="+2">January 6, 1998 No. 1</font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Univers" size="+2">AXWORTHY SENDS SPECIAL ENVOY TO ALGERIA</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy today announced that Mr. Claude Laverdure,
Assistant Deputy Minister (Europe, Middle East and North Africa), will travel to
Algeria as a special envoy to assess the situation there.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">"I hope that during the mission, expected to take place shortly, my special envoy
will have the opportunity to meet with the most senior Algerian authorities," said
the Minister. "I wish to convey to the Algerian authorities my deep concern and
that of Canada with respect to the renewal of attacks against hundreds of innocent
civilians, and to reiterate to the responsible authorities the need for greater
transparency."</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">In a recent letter to his Algerian counterpart, Minister Axworthy suggested that
the former take appropriate measures to improve the international community's
understanding of the situation in Algeria, in particular through greater
transparency, especially with the media, to throw light on these appalling events.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">In addition, Mr. Axworthy announced that he is also studying the possibility of
increasing humanitarian assistance to survivors and other victims such as
displaced populations.</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">The Minister recently met with a group of non-governmental organizations to
discuss Canada's concerns regarding the gravity of the situation in Algeria.</font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Courier">-30-</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">For further information, media representatives may contact:</font></p>
<p><font face="Courier">Debora Brown</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">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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