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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">January 17, 2005 <i>(4:50 p.m. EST)</i><br>
No. 9</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">MINISTER PETTIGREW ATTENDS MEETING ON UN REFORM</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew, at the invitation of Mexican Foreign Minister
Luis Ernesto Derbez, today attended the Senior Officials Meeting of the Group of
Friends on United Nations Reform in Mexico City, Mexico. The Group met on January
16 and 17 to discuss the next steps in effecting the reform of the multilateral
organization in light of the December 2, 2004, report of the UN Secretary-General’s
High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change.</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"> “Canada commends Mexico on this important initiative, which brings together a group
of countries dedicated to strengthening the UN,” said Minister Pettigrew. “We are
committed to working with this Group to ensure that the sixtieth anniversary of the
United Nations this year marks the renewal of the organization. We believe that a
comprehensive package of reforms is needed and should be adopted by leaders in
September 2005; one that expresses their commitment to enhance the capacity of the
international community and the United Nations in the fields of peace and security and
economic development.” </span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">The Group of Friends on United Nations Reform was established in 2004 at Mexico’s
initiative and includes Algeria, Australia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Germany, Japan,
Kenya, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Singapore, Spain and Sweden.
Minister Pettigrew first met with the Group on the margins of the UN General Assembly,
in New York, last September.</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Canada has been an active participant in UN reform and submitted two papers to the
High-Level Panel: one on the Responsibility to Protect, the other an omnibus paper
containing recommendations for strengthening UN capacity in a number of areas. The
Prime Minister has welcomed the High-Level Panel's report. Canada is currently
reviewing it to develop its position on the Panel’s recommendations. </span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">The Report of the Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and
Change is available at </span></span><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070220184142/http://www.un.org/secureworld"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #0000ff"><span style="text-decoration: underline">www.un.org/secureworld</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>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">Canada's submissions to the High-Level Panel can be found at
</span></span></span><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070220184142/http://www.international.gc.ca/canada_un"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #0000ff"><span style="text-decoration: underline">www.international.gc.ca/canada_un</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>
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<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">- 30 -</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">For further information, media representatives may contact:</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">Sébastien Théberge<br>
Director of Communications<br>
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs<br>
(613) 995-1851</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">Media Relations Office<br>
Foreign Affairs Canada<br>
(613) 995-1874<br>
</span></span></span><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070220184142/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>
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