Tuesday, March 30, 2004FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEOttawa -- Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bill Graham and Minister for International Cooperation, Aileen Carroll, will attend the International Conference on Afghanistan in Berlin, Germany, on March 31 and April 1. The purpose of this ministerial level Conference is to demonstrate continued commitment to the Karzai administration in its efforts to bring democracy, security and prosperity to the region. Hamid Karzai, President of the Afghan Transitional Authority, will deliver the keynote address. Minister Graham will lead a delegation of Canadian officials to highlight the current 3D (Diplomacy, Defence, and Development) leadership role of Canada in Afghanistan. Minister Carroll will meet with members of the Utstein Group, a network of development ministers, created in 1999, who work together to provide leadership on development issues.Media are invited to participate in a conference call from Berlin to announce further details about Canadian commitments to Afghanistan. For more information, please contact the Media Relations Office of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) at the number listed below.Event: Conference callDate: Wednesday, March 31, 2004Time: 1:00 p.m. (EST)- 30 - Information: Isabelle SavardDirector of CommunicationsOffice of the Minister of Foreign Affairs(613) 995-1851Media Relations OfficeDepartment of Foreign Affairs(613) 995-1874http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.caAndrew GrahamDirector of CommunicationsOffice of the Minister for International CooperationTelephone: (819) 953-3160Media Relations OfficeCIDATelephone: (819) 953-6534E-mail: info@acdi-cida.gc.ca
