August 19, 1998 No. 193

AXWORTHY TO VISIT THE UNITED STATES AND

DISCUSS NORTH AMERICAN CO-OPERATION

Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy announced today that he will travel to Denver, Colorado, and Santa Fe, New Mexico, on August 20 and 21.

On August 20, Minister Axworthy will participate in an informal roundtable with members of the Denver Council on Foreign Relations to discuss a broad range of international issues. He will also meet with political leaders and members of the Colorado business community.

The next day in Santa Fe, Minister Axworthy will join the 10th anniversary meeting of the North American Institute (NAMI) to discuss broad middle and long-term issues in the relationship between Mexico, the United States and Canada, and to launch the Alliance for Higher Education and Enterprise in North America.

"The North American Institute is working to develop a sense of North American community by providing a forum where we can discuss and address common issues as North Americans," said

Mr. Axworthy.

This year's NAMI forum includes a program of discussions on communications, transportation, environment, education and training, and health and welfare.

The North American Institute is an organization dedicated to exploring pressing economic and social issues facing Mexico, the United States and Canada, and to forging educational and cultural contacts throughout the North American continent.

A trilateral meeting between Minister Axworthy and his North American counterparts originally scheduled in Santa Fe for August 21 and 22 has been postponed. Canada places great importance on these discussions with Mexico and the United States and looks forward to participating in them in the near future.

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For further information, media representatives may contact:

Debora Brown

Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs

(613) 992-1851

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