April 27, 2005 OTTAWA –– At the request of the Prime Minister, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Governor General of Canada, and His Excellency John Ralston Saul will visit Berlin, Germany, from April 28 to May 2, 2005. Governor General Clarkson will officially open the new Canadian Embassy in Berlin on Friday, April 29. The move of the Embassy to Berlin from Bonn follows the establishment of Berlin as Germany's capital. While in Germany, the Governor General will also have one-on-one meetings with His Excellency Dr. Horst Koehler, President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Mr. Joschka Fischer, Vice-Chancellor and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Matthias Platzeck, President of the Bundesrat, and His Worship Klaus Wowereit, Governing Mayor of Berlin. In addition, the Governor General will have official meetings with His Excellency Aleksander Kwanieswski, President of Poland, and with the Right Honourable Helen Clark, Prime Minister of New Zealand, who are also in Germany on official business. The detailed itinerary of the Governor General's activities in Berlin is attached (Annex). -30- Media information Rideau Hall Press Office Randy Mylyk Press Secretary to the Governor General (613) 993-8167 Eric Richer Press Office (613) 998-0287 www.gg.ca Foreign Affairs Canada Media Relations Division (613) 995-1874 For more information on the opening of the new Embassy, please visit http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/canadaeuropa/germany/ Annex NOTE: The Governor General and John Ralston Saul will participate in events together unless otherwise indicated. Itinerary: Governor General's visit to Berlin, Germany from April 28 to May 2, 2005 Thursday April 28 1:30 p.m. Visit to new Canadian Embassy (Leipziger Platz 17, 10117 Berlin) (Closed to Media) 5:00 p.m. Meeting with Mr. Mattias Platzeck, President of the Bundesrat (Room 2.051, 2nd floor, Bundesrat) (Media TBC) 8:00 p.m. Dinner given by Mr. Paul Dubois, Ambassador of Canada to the Federal Republic of Germany (Official photographers only) Friday, April 29 8:15 a.m. Meeting with the Right Honourable Helen Clark, Prime Minister of New Zealand (Official photographers only) 9:45 a.m. Meeting with Mr. Joschka Fischer, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Vice-Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany (Official photographers only) 10:00 a.m. Official opening of the Canadian Embassy (Leipziger Platz 17, 10117 Berlin) (Open to Media – Please call the Embassy in Berlin for accreditation at (+49 30 203 12-0) 11:25 a.m. Meeting with His Honour Klaus Wowereit, Governing Mayor of Berlin (Official photographers only) 11:45 a.m. Dedication of the Northwest Passage at Kanada Haus (Leipziger Platz 17, 10117 Berlin) (Open to Media) 12:30 p.m. Luncheon with His Honour Klaus Wowereit, Governing Mayor of Berlin (Closed to Media) 5:15 p.m. Opening reception of the Canadian Embassy (Official photographers only) Saturday, April 30 8:30 a.m. Meeting with His Excellency Dr. Horst Koehler, President of the Federal Republic of Germany (Official photographers only) 4:00 p.m. Meeting with His Excellency Aleksander Kwanieswski, President of the Republic of Poland (Official photographers only)
