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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">December 12, 2006 <i>(11:35 a.m. EST)</i><br>
No. 155</span></span></span></p>
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<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY OBHRAI TO ATTEND THE SUMMIT OF
THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE GREAT LAKES REGION</span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic
Canada Opportunities Agency, today announced that the Honourable Deepak Obhrai,
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, will represent the
Government at the second Summit of the International Conference on the Great Lakes
Region in Nairobi, Kenya, from December 14 to15, 2006.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“Canada’s new government actively supports the International Conference on the Great
Lakes Region as a unique initiative where regional peacebuilding and reconciliation can
be advanced in concrete ways,” said Minister MacKay. “As Co-Chair of the Group of
Friends of the Great Lakes Region, Canada looks forward to the signing of the Nairobi
Pact on Security, Stability and Development </span><span style="font-size: 12pt">and to its early ratification.”</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">The conference’s objective is to encourage the countries of the region to agree on a
strategy and concrete actions that will bring peace, stability and prosperity to the Great
Lakes region. The conference focuses on peace and security, democracy and good
governance, economic development and regional integration, and humanitarian and
social issues.</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>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Foreign Affairs Media Relations Office<br>
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada<br>
613-995-1874<br>
</span></span><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070221041015/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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