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<title>GRAHAM TO ATTEND ASEAN MEETINGS IN CAMBODIA AND VISIT CHINA AND JAPAN</title>
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<p><font size="+1"></font><font size="+1"><strong>June 13, 2003 <em>(10:40 a.m. EDT)</em> No. 85</strong></font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font size="+1"><strong>GRAHAM TO ATTEND ASEAN MEETINGS IN CAMBODIA AND VISIT CHINA AND JAPAN</strong></font></p>
<p>Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham today announced that he will visit Cambodia from June 17 to 21, 2003, where he will
attend the 10th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum (ARF) and the 36th ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference meetings. Minister Graham will also visit China on June 22 and 23, and Japan on June 24 and 25.</p>
<p>"Canada is committed to a long-term partnership with Southeast Asia. We have important political and trade ties with the
region, strong people-to-people links and long-standing development cooperation, and we provide ongoing support for
peace and security in the area," said Minister Graham. "Participation in these important political, economic and security
forums highlights Canada's enduring interest in the region and our firm commitment to ASEAN."</p>
<p>ASEAN is a regional organization representing Southeast Asia's 500 million people, and it is a major vehicle for political
and economic cooperation in the region. Its member states are Brunei Darussalam, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos,
Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.</p>
<p>The ARF, which was created in 1994, is the preeminent multilateral political and security forum in the Asia-Pacific region.
The ARF brings together ASEAN members and 13 other states, including the Association's dialogue partners (Australia,
Canada, China, the European Union, India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States) and
the three non-dialogue partners (the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Mongolia and Papua New Guinea), to discuss
peace and security issues affecting the region. This year's discussions will focus on the security situation on the Korean
peninsula, recent developments in Burma, and regional and international terrorism, as well as the proliferation of weapons
of mass destruction and small arms and light weapons.</p>
<p>The Post-Ministerial Conference was established in 1978 as an annual forum for discussion on political, economic, social
and development issues between ASEAN and its dialogue partner countries. The Conference is held each year after the
ASEAN Ministerial Meeting. Issues to be discussed this year include SARS, and cooperation in counterterrorism efforts
and transnational matters, including the trafficking of persons and narcotics, and the environment.</p>
<p>Canada has been an ASEAN dialogue partner country since 1977, and Canadian foreign ministers have participated in the
ARF since it was established in 1994.</p>
<p>In Cambodia, China and Japan, Minister Graham will meet with senior government representatives to discuss a range of
bilateral political and trade issues, as well as international matters of mutual concern.</p>
<p align="CENTER">- 30 -</p>
<p>For further information, media representatives may contact:</p>
<p>Isabelle Savard</p>
<p>Director of Communications</p>
<p>Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs</p>
<p>(613) 995-1851</p>
<p>Media Relations Office</p>
<p>Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade</p>
<p>(613) 995-1874</p>
<p><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070221095427/http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/">http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca</a></p>
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