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<title>AXWORTHY ADDRESSES SUDAN AND CHECHNYA ATUN MEETING IN GENEVA</title>
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<p><font face="Arial"></font><font face="Arial" size="+1"></font><font face="Arial" size="+1"><strong>April 13, 2000 <em>(9:35 a.m. EDT)</em> No. 73</strong></font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Arial"><strong></strong></font><font face="Arial" size="+1"><strong>AXWORTHY ADDRESSES SUDAN AND CHECHNYA AT</strong></font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Arial" size="+1"><strong>UN MEETING IN GENEVA</strong></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial"></font><font face="Arial">Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy today emphasized in an address to the 56th UN Commission on
Human Rights (UNCHR) session in Geneva the importance of addressing human rights violations wherever
they occur. He also announced that Canada has co-sponsored resolutions concerning the human rights
situations in Sudan and Chechnya. </font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">The draft resolution on Chechnya proposes the establishment of an independent commission of inquiry into all
allegations of serious human rights violations in the republic, and also supports participation by international
experts.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">The draft resolution on Sudan condemns bombings of schools and hospitals, the use of landmines against
civilians, forced displacement, the abductions of women and children, the killing of humanitarian personnel and
denials of access for humanitarian organizations. </font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">"Canada believes that we must use every means possible to ensure that the ongoing conflict in Sudan, which
has killed millions and produced the highest number of internally displaced persons in Africa, receives more
scrutiny from the international community," said Mr. Axworthy. "The Commission must take a firm stand in
urging that all parties to the conflict respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the civilian
population and grant full, safe and unhindered access to international agencies and humanitarian
organizations."</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Minister Axworthy met with Mary Robinson, High Commissioner for Human Rights, to exchange views on the
human rights situations in both Sudan and Chechnya. </font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">As part of her engagement approach with Sudan, Mrs. Robinson indicated that a human rights consultant will
soon be based at the United Nations Development Program Office in Khartoum. This move follows the March
29 signature of an accord between the UNCHR and the Sudanese Minister of Justice. Mr. Axworthy indicated
that Canada would be prepared to work closely with the human rights consultant. </font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Mrs. Robinson concurred with Mr. Axworthy that the approach of encouraging corporate social responsibility is
very constructive in cases such as Sudan. She also offered to send a UNCHR representative to an upcoming
meeting being sponsored by the Government of Canada, in mid-May, designed to encourage Canadian
corporate responsibility abroad. </font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">In addition to Minister Axworthy's activities in Geneva, Senator Lois Wilson, Canada's Special Envoy to the
Sudan Peace Process, is participating in the International Conference on Sudanese Women and Peacemaking
being held in Maastricht, the Netherlands, from April 12 to 13. The conference, under the auspices of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), will bring together women from various regions of Sudan,
representatives of the IGAD countries and the IGAD Partners Forum, as well as participants from United
Nations and non-governmental organizations.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">The objectives of the conference are to give Sudanese women a venue to express their views on the peace
process; to find a way to link women's peace activities to IGAD's efforts; to set a peace agenda in Sudan with
concrete steps for both Sudanese and international participants; and to contribute to the international
development of common policy guidelines on integrating gender and peacebuilding issues. The conference is a
Dutch initiative with financial support provided by Canada, Norway, the United Kingdom and the European
Union.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Senator Wilson will also travel to The Hague to attend an IGAD Partners Forum meeting on April 14. The
participants will assess the peace process and deal with administrative issues related to its governing body.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">IGAD is a regional organization, headed by Kenya, that has been mandated by the Organization for African
Unity to lead efforts to bring about a comprehensive and just conclusion to the lengthy civil war in Sudan.</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></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">(613) 995-1851</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></p>
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