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<title>GRAHAM TO ATTEND INAUGURATION OF NEW PRESIDENT OF GUATEMALA</title>
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<p><font size="+1"></font><font size="+1"><strong>January 13, 2004 <em>(10:15 a.m. EST)</em> No. 3</strong></font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font size="+1"><strong>GRAHAM TO ATTEND INAUGURATION OF NEW PRESIDENT OF GUATEMALA</strong></font></p>
<p>Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham today announced that he will represent Canada at the inauguration of the new
president of Guatemala on January 14, 2004.</p>
<p>"Canada congratulates Oscar Berger on his election as President of Guatemala and the Guatemalan people on a peaceful,
fair and transparent process," said Minister Graham. "Canada looks forward to working with President-elect Berger and his
administration on their efforts to fulfill the promise of a better future for all Guatemalans envisaged in the 1996 peace
accords."</p>
<p>Minister Graham will travel to Guatemala following the Special Summit of the Americas, which he is attending with the
Prime Minister on January 12 and 13 in Mexico.</p>
<p>Canada has a long history of supporting and promoting democracy and respect for human rights in Guatemala. It
contributed $287,600 to election-related activities in that country and had 36 election observers present for both voting days
through the Organization of American States Electoral Observation Mission, led by former Peruvian president Valentín
Paniagua.</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/20071207024919/http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/">http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca</a></p>
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