October 22, 1997 No. 169

AXWORTHY TO ATTEND COMMONWEALTH

HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING

Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy will accompany Prime Minister Chrétien to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) from October 24 to 27 in Edinburgh, United Kingdom.

"The CHOGM provides an excellent opportunity for Canada to cultivate our relations with the other member nations and reaffirm Canada's commitment to the Commonwealth's Harare Declaration on human rights and democracy," said Minister Axworthy.

On October 23, before the CHOGM, the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) will meet in Edinburgh. Created in 1995, the CMAG's mandate is to recommend collective Commonwealth responses to serious or persistent violations of the principles contained in the Commonwealth's Harare Declaration on human rights and democracy. Mr. Axworthy and other Foreign Ministers will discuss final plans regarding the group's recommendations to the Commonwealth Heads of Government in regard to the evolution of democratic principles and human rights in Nigeria, Sierra Leone and the Gambia.

In addition to his participation at the CMAG, Mr. Axworthy will also participate in a panel discussion on landmines, sponsored by the U.K. Working Group on Landmines at the Non-governmental Organization Forum on October 25. Nearly 100 organizations will be represented at the NGO Forum, which takes place in Edinburgh in parallel with the Heads of Government Meeting.

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For further information, media representatives may contact:

Debora Brown

Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs

(613) 995-1851

Media Relations Office

Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

(613) 995-1874

This document is also available on the Department's Internet site: http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca