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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">November 6, 2007 <i>(5:40 p.m. EST)</i><br>
No. 155</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">CANADA CONDEMNS COWARDLY ATTACK ON AFGHAN
PARLIAMENTARIANS</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">The Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following
statement on the attack against Afghan parliamentarians:</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“Canada strongly condemns the attack against Afghan parliamentarians and civilians in
northern Afghanistan. On behalf of all Canadians, I would like to express my deep
condolences to the victims and their families, and to the Afghan people.</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“This heinous attack is a deliberate assault on democracy. Members of Afghanistan’s
parliament are central to advancing the interests of their people and providing them a
voice in governing their country. By targeting members of the Afghan Parliament, these
terrorists were seeking to undermine Afghan development. Their utter disregard for the
schoolchildren and other innocent civilians gathered to greet the Afghan parliamentary
delegation is reprehensible. This deplorable attempt to hinder Afghanistan’s progress
only strengthens our resolve. </span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“Canada remains unequivocally committed to supporting Afghanistan and its
democratically elected government.”</span></span></p>
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<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">- 30 -</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">For further information, media representatives may contact:</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Foreign Affairs Media Relations Office<br>
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada<br>
613-995-1874<br>
</span></span><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20071121080830/http://www.international.gc.ca/"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #0000ff"><span style="text-decoration: underline">http://www.international.gc.ca</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000"></span></span></span></p>
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