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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">March 15, 2006 <i>(9:40 a.m. EST)</i><br>
No. 21</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">FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER TO VISIT CANADA</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay today announced the visit of France’s Foreign
Affairs Minister, Philippe Douste-Blazy, to Ottawa on March 16, 2006. This will be
Mr. Douste-Blazy’s first trip to Canada as Foreign Affairs Minister.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“I welcome this important and early first meeting with my French counterpart, given the
cultural, linguistic, historic and economic ties between Canada and France. I am looking
forward to discussing many issues of mutual interest,” said Minister MacKay. “In
particular, we will discuss our countries’ long-standing international cooperation on
Haiti, Africa, and Afghanistan, and common challenges that we face, including the avian
influenza and UN reform.”</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Canada and France have shared a long and beneficial relationship encompassing an
extensive array of topics, and have long collaborated in multilateral forums, including
the United Nations, the G8 and La Francophonie. </span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Minister MacKay will hold a bilateral meeting with Minister Douste-Blazy as well as an
expanded meeting with French and Canadian officials, and will host a dinner for the
French Minister and the officials travelling with him. </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">Media Relations Office<br>
Foreign Affairs Canada<br>
(613) 995-1874<br>
</span></span><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070221012719/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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