<html>
<head>
<meta name="generator" content="Corel WordPerfect 12">
<meta http-equiv="content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
<style>
p
{
margin-top: 0px;
margin-bottom: 1px
}
body
{
font-family: "Arial", sans-serif;
font-size: 12pt;
font-weight: normal;
font-style: normal
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">November 18, 2005 <i>(8:00 p.m. EST)</i><br>
No. 227</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">CANADA WELCOMES SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION OF SRI LANKA’S
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION </span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew today welcomed the successful conclusion of
elections for the President of Sri Lanka. The elections took place on November 17,
2005. </span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“The Government of Canada congratulates Sri Lankans on the election of a new
President and is encouraged that, in most parts of the country, people were able to
vote in high numbers. However, Canada expresses disappointment in the boycott that
was called by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), and the use of violence and
intimidation to prevent the participation of Sri Lankans, particularly Tamils and Muslims,
in areas controlled by the LTTE.”</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Mr. Pettigrew also reinforced Canada’s willingness to assist in the peace process and
called upon President Rajapaksa and his government to continue to pursue a peaceful,
politically negotiated solution to the country’s civil war.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"> </span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">- 30 -</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">For further information, media representatives may contact:</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">James Christoff<br>
Press Secretary<br>
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs<br>
(613) 995-1851</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Media Relations Office<br>
Foreign Affairs Canada<br>
(613) 995-1874<br>
</span></span><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070220184427/http://www.international.gc.ca/"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #0000ff"><span style="text-decoration: underline">http://www.international.gc.ca</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000"></span></span></span></p>
</body>
</html>
