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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">March 27, 2006 <i>(4:05 p.m. EST)</i><br>
No. 29</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 MEETS WITH BELARUSIAN AMBASSADOR AND
ANNOUNCES MEASURES AGAINST 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 met with the Ambassador of Belarus to
Canada, Nina Mazai, to discuss the situation in Belarus, and made the following
statement:</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“I called in Ambassador Mazai today to voice Canada’s condemnation of the absolute
affront to democratic principles in the March 19, 2006, presidential election—an election
that was not free and fair. I also discussed with her the case of the Canadian now being
held in Belarus and requested that he be released immediately from detention and that
he be allowed to leave the country. I emphasized that the Government of Belarus is
responsible for his safety and well-being.<span> </span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“During the meeting, I reminded the Ambassador that the Government of Belarus has a
legal duty to respect the rights of its citizens to protest peacefully. </span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“I also informed her that effective immediately, the Government of Canada will limit its
official relations with Belarusian authorities to the areas of consular relations, human
rights and democratic development, and efforts related to international security such as
the destruction of landmines.</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“Canada will continue to work with its friends and allies, as well as with the Organization
for Security and Co-operation in Europe, to promote peaceful democratic change in
Belarus and to protect the rights of its citizens.”</span></span></p>
<br>
<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/20070221060907/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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