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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">April 21, 2006 <i>(7:45 p.m. EDT)</i><br>
No. 39</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 CALLS FOR RETURN TO DEMOCRACY IN NEPAL</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 issued the following statement regarding
the announcement by King Gyanendra of Nepal that he is relinquishing executive
power: </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"> </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“Canada welcomes King Gyanendra’s offer to hand over power to the seven-party
alliance. The fact that he has invited the seven parties to name a prime minister
represents an important and welcome concession that we hope will pave the way to a
democratic, constitutional system of government in Nepal. We hope that the King’s
gesture will help bring an end to the political unrest and violence we’ve seen in Nepal
over the past several weeks, re-establish democracy and human rights, and lead to
national reconciliation.</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“Canada urges the seven-party alliance to work together and refrain from violence
during this delicate transition period to help return stability to the country.”</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/20070221060926/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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