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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">June 16, 2006 <i>(2:50 p.m. EDT)</i><br>
No. 67</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 TO ATTEND UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL, SIGN
PROTOCOL FOR ADDITIONAL EMBLEM FOR RED CROSS
MOVEMENT AND MEET WITH GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER</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 that he will attend the first meeting of the recently
established UN Human Rights Council, which will take place in Geneva on June 19,
2006, before travelling to meet with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier
in Berlin on June 20, 2006.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“Canada looks forward to working with other countries to ensure that the Council has
the tools and the mandate to become the prime mechanism through which human
rights are promoted and protected internationally,” said Minister MacKay. “We must now
ensure that this new council, in its day-to-day work, is truly effective in protecting human
rights.”</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Minister MacKay will also take the opportunity to sign the Third Additional Protocol to
the Geneva Conventions prior to the 29th International Conference of the Red Cross
and Red Crescent, which starts on June 20, 2006. This Protocol recognizes the red
crystal as an additional emblem, free of any political or religious connotation.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“Canada is proud to sign this protocol and encourages other countries to do so. The
Protocol will allow the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, one of the
oldest global humanitarian institutions, to be more universal and effective in its
response to crises worldwide. It will help to enhance the protection of people affected
by conflicts and natural disasters and humanitarian workers who provide critical
assistance to those in need.”</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">In Berlin, Minister MacKay will meet with his German counterpart, Frank-Walter
Steinmeier. </span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“Canada and Germany are long-standing, like-minded partners and enjoy strong and
positive relations,” stated the Minister. “I look forward to our upcoming discussion on
issues of mutual concern.”</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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<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/20070221012550/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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