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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">February 20, 2006 <i>(6:30 p.m. EST)</i><br>
No. 13</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 MACKAY TO TRAVEL TO LONDON, TURIN AND BRUSSELS</span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay today announced that he will travel to Europe
from February 21 to March 1, 2006, to meet with a number of his European
counterparts, as well as the secretaries-general of the Commonwealth and NATO. The
Minister will travel to London, England; Turin, Italy; and Brussels, Belgium.</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“I am looking forward to meeting a number of my counterparts, to establishing
relationships with key G8 and NATO leaders and to exchanging views on a wide range
of political and security issues, including Afghanistan, Iran and the Middle East, as well
as Canada-European Union relations,” said Minister MacKay. “I will also take the
opportunity to learn more about the work of my department’s officials in representing
Canada abroad.” </span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Minister MacKay will be in London from February 22 to 23, 2006, where he will meet
with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and Commonwealth Secretary-General
Donald McKinnon, as well as with Canadian officials.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Minister MacKay will travel to Turin on February 23, 2006, to meet with Canadian and
international Olympic officials. He will participate in a number of events in support of
Canada’s athletes and in preparation for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. The Minister
will also represent the federal government at the closing ceremonies.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">The Minister will travel to Brussels on February 27, 2006, where he will meet with NATO
Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, European Union (EU) High Representative
for Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana, European Commission
External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Austrian Foreign Minister
Ursula Plassnik (representing the EU presidency), and a number of foreign ministers of
EU member states. </span></span></p>
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<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">- 30 -</span></span></p>
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<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">Media Relations Office<br>
Foreign Affairs Canada <br>
(613) 995-1874<br>
</span></span><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070221040950/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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