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<p><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-size: 14pt">July 25, 2006 <i>(11:05 a.m. EDT)</i><br>
No. 85</span></span></p>
<br>
<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-size: 14pt">MINISTER MACKAY TO ATTEND ROME MEETING ON LEBANON</span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt"></span></p>
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<p>The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic
Canada Opportunities Agency, today announced that he will attend meeting in Rome
on July 26 to discuss the Lebanon situation. Co-chaired by U.S. Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice and Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D’Alema, the half-day session
at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be attended by the foreign ministers of some
20 countries.</p>
<br>
<p>“The recent G8 Summit declaration set out the steps the parties directly involved need
to take to put an end to the violence,” Minister MacKay said. “Canada fully subscribes to
this view. We also believe that the international community is wise to consider how it
can support achieving an end to the violence and what steps may be needed to that
end. I look forward to our discussions.”</p>
<br>
<p>Among the countries attending are Egypt, France, Lebanon, Russia and the United
Kingdom. United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and European Union Foreign
Minister Javier Solana will also attend. The meeting has grown out of the ad hoc
Lebanon Core Group of nations and organizations, which was created last year to help
Lebanon in its economic recovery following the withdrawal of Syrian forces and the
subsequent elections. While not part of the original Core Group, Canada has been
invited to the Rome meeting and welcomes the opportunity to participate.</p>
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<p style="text-align: center">- 30 -</p>
<br>
<p>For further information, media representatives may contact:</p>
<br>
<p>Foreign Affairs Media Relations Office<br>
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada<br>
613-995-1874<br>
<a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070221040944/http://www.international.gc.ca/"><span style="color: #0000ff"><span style="text-decoration: underline">http://www.international.gc.ca</span></span></a><span style="color: #000000"></span></p>
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