Canada in the World: Canadian International Policy

Speech by Ambassador Westdal
presented at the Canadian Biological Sciences Colloquium,
Hotel "Salyut", Moscow, September 15-17, 2004

Thank you Mr. Chairman for your kind introduction.

Let me begin by expressing the outrage of all Canadians at the recent terrorist horrors in Russia. The Russian people have the sympathy and solidarity of Canadians.

It is a particular pleasure to be here today and to have the opportunity to welcome you, on behalf of the Government of Canada, to the Canadian Biological Sciences Colloquium.

I say "particular" pleasure, as I am very much aware of the overwhelming importance of the common objective that has brought us all together - the non-proliferation of biological weapons. Before coming to Moscow last year to take up my current post, I served as Canada's Ambassador for Disarmament in Geneva. During my years in Geneva, I grappled often with the haunting spectre of biological weapons proliferation and came to understand well why the deliberate spread of disease was condemned as "repugnant to the conscience of mankind" in the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC).

Curbing the proliferation of biological weapons is an essential element of the $20 billion Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mss Destruction, which was launched at the G8 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada in June 2002. We have pledged 1 billion of our tax payers' dollars to the Global Partnership; we take to heart, seriously, the commitment made by our Prime Minister at Kananaskis to prevent terrorists, or those that harbour them from acquiring or developing biological weapons and related materials, equipment and technology. In this regard, it is very gratifying to look out on the assembly here today and see so many scientists and experts -- from Canada, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan – who share our objectives and resolve.

As a member of the Global Partnership, Canada is also firmly committed to making a significant and sustained contribution to the employment of former Soviet weapons scientists. To this end, Canada acceded to the International Science and Technology Centre (ISTC) in March of this year. In this context, this Colloquium is an important milestone for Canada -- it is the first event co-organized by Canada and the ISTC which brings together scientists and experts from Canada and the Former Soviet Union with the aim of discussing respective and shared priorities, exchanging ideas and examining cooperation and collaboration possibilities in the biological sector.

While the ISTC celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, Canada, as I have mentioned, is a relative newcomer. Yet, despite this short time, it has become abundantly clear to us that when it comes to the Biotechnology and Life Sciences sector, there is an abundance of scientific know-how and expertise in the institutes of Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). It is equally clear that many of the discoveries and advances being made in these - your - institutes have significant practical applications in a wide array of areas, and could have very important and far-reaching implications. Your scientific discoveries have the potential not only to improve lives, but also to generate, in many cases, real economic benefits for yourselves, your institutes and your partners in the West.

The large number of biological projects that Canada has already committed to fund – 12 through only 2 ISTC funding sessions – and the sizable and diverse Canadian delegation that has travelled to Moscow for this Colloquium demonstrates the importance that Canada ascribes to working with you in the biological sector. And this is but the tip of the iceberg. There is a thriving biotechnology sector in Canada, and I am confident that many institutes, agencies and companies will be keenly interested to learn more about the extensive knowledge and skills you possess, for possible joint projects or commercial ventures. And even when there are no immediate commercial applications, cooperation projects in basic science can advance the scientific state of the art and thus lead to fruitful research collaborations with Western scientists as well as facilitate the provision of follow-on research grants.

But for all these potential benefits to materialize, there are two essential conditions. The first is your creativity, during this workshop, in conceiving and developing possible joint projects. The second one is concerted follow-up, meaning that once this workshop is over, we all must go back home and pursue with vigour the promising cooperation avenues that are identified over the next three days. I can assure you that the Government of Canada and the ISTC, working closely together, will do their utmost to ensure the realization of your ideas. I call on all of you to do the same. After all, the creation of strong cooperation linkages, and the strengthening of existing ones, is a long term endeavour.

As the assembly here today makes clear, working together -- in ways that engage and include various governments, communities and people -- is the only way to meet the diverse challenges at hand. Common purpose, common resolve, resolute commitment to action and real partnership are required if we are to achieve our common goals.

I thank you for your attention and look forward to seeing how your cooperation develops.

Last Updated:2006-08-31

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