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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">June 13, 2006 <i>(8:00 p.m. EDT)</i><br>
No. 64</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 WELCOMES NATO SECRETARY GENERAL JAAP
DE HOOP SCHEFFER</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Foreign Affairs Minister and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency Peter
MacKay today announced the visit of NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer,
on June 14 and 15, 2006.</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“I am pleased to welcome the Secretary General to Canada so soon after the Alliance’s
productive meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria, in April,” said Minister MacKay. “I look forward to
discussing our engagement in Afghanistan and the upcoming summit in Riga, Latvia,
this November.”</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“I am also looking forward to discussing the continued transformation of NATO from a
cold war military alliance to a flexible, responsive security organization ready to address
the threats and security challenges of the 21st century,” added the Minister. “Through
its various missions, NATO plays a key role as a security provider and actively
contributes to the campaign against terrorism. Canada intends to continue to play its
part to ensure our security and that of our allies.”</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Canada has been a member of NATO since it was founded in 1949. Canada benefits
from inclusion in NATO through access to strategic information, exercises with allied
forces and an equal voice in high-level decisions affecting Euro-Atlantic security and
stability. NATO embodies the transatlantic link on which the common security of North
America and Europe depends.</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">While in Ottawa, the Secretary General will also meet with Prime Minister Stephen
Harper and National Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor. This will be the Secretary
General’s second official visit to Canada. </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/20070221061256/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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