<html>
<head>
<meta name="Generator" content="Corel WordPerfect 8">
<title>ONGOING SITUATION OF EIGHT KIDNAPPED CANADIANS PROMPTS KILGOUR VISIT TO ECUADOR AND COLOMBIA</title>
</head>
<body text="#000000" link="#0000ff" vlink="#551a8b" alink="#ff0000" bgcolor="#c0c0c0">
<p><font size="+1"></font><font size="+1"><strong>September 22, 1999 <em>(6:00 p.m. EDT) </em> No. 211</strong></font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><strong><font size="+1">ONGOING SITUATION OF EIGHT KIDNAPPED CANADIANS </strong></font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font size="+1"><strong>PROMPTS KILGOUR VISIT TO ECUADOR AND COLOMBIA</strong></font><font face="Arial" size="+1"></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial"></font><font face="Arial">Further to his discussions with his Ecuadorian counterpart last week, Foreign Affairs Minister
Lloyd Axworthy today announced that Secretary of State (Latin America and Africa) David
Kilgour will travel to Quito (Ecuador) and Bogota (Colombia), September 23 to 29, to meet
with senior officials of both countries' governments and to discuss the kidnapping of eight
Canadians earlier this month in Ecuador. The eight Canadians are among a group of 12
people who were kidnapped in Sucumbios, Ecuador, a region situated close to the
Colombian border. </font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">"The fact that the identity of the kidnappers, as well as details of the conditions under which
the hostages are being held, remain unknown, is a source of great frustration and of major
concern to Canada," said Mr. Axworthy. "I have asked Mr. Kilgour to meet with the
Ecuadorian and Colombian authorities to convey our concerns and those of the victims'
families, and to review with them the facts in the hope of finding ways to resolve the
situation."</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Mr. Axworthy also announced that he will meet with the Foreign Affairs Ministers of both
countries tomorrow, on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly being held in
New York City.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">"Canada considers this to be an extremely important matter, and is committed to using all
possible avenues to secure the freedom of the hostages," stated Mr. Kilgour.</font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Arial"> - 30 -</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">For further information, media representatives may contact:</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Debora Brown </font><font face="Arial">Tasha Stefanis</font><font face="Arial"></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs </font><font face="Arial"> Office of the Secretary of State</font><font face="Arial"></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">(613) 995-1851 </font><font face="Arial"> (Latin America and Africa)</font><font face="Arial"></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">(613) 992-9404</font><font face="Arial"></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Media Relations Office</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">(613) 995-1874</font><font face="Arial"></font></p>
</body>
</html>
