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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">March 25, 2006 <i>(9:00 a.m. EST)</i><br>
No. 27</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 CONDEMNS ONGOING CONFRONTATION WITH
PROTESTORS IN BELARUS </span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay today issued the following statement further
condemning actions by the Belarus government, including the recent arrest and
detention of pro-democracy demonstrators, and announcing that Canada is considering
imposing sanctions on Belarus:</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“Canada calls on the Belarus government to immediately release all the demonstrators
detained for exercising their democratic right to protest. We urge the government to
respect the rights of the Belarusian people, including the right to demonstrate
peacefully. </span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“Canada joined other nations in denouncing the March 19 presidential election, which
was not free and fair. Yesterday’s crackdown on protestors further demonstrates the
abusive nature of the Belarus regime.</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“Canada is currently examining possible measures in response to these events. Such
measures would be taken in concert with other free and democratic countries.” </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/20070221013131/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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