April 26, 2006
No. 43
Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay today announced that he will participate in
meetings being held by foreign ministers of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
member countries on April 27 and 28, 2006, in Sofia, Bulgaria.
“I look forward to further discussions with Canada’s U.S. and European allies on the
serious global challenges we face collectively, such as the situation in Afghanistan,”
said Minister MacKay. “Canada’s membership in NATO is vital to meeting our security
goals and allows us to discuss emerging security threats with our allies.”
During these sessions, there will be meetings of NATO’s governing body, the North
Atlantic Council, as well as meetings of the NATO-Ukraine Commission and the
NATO-Russia Council, and a working dinner with NATO and EU foreign ministers. The
meetings will also provide the opportunity to discuss NATO partnerships, Euro-Atlantic
integration, relations with Ukraine and Russia, and a wide range of international security
issues. In addition, the ministers will discuss preparations for the upcoming NATO
summit in Riga, Latvia, in November 2006.
Following these meetings, Minister MacKay will travel to Brussels, Belgium, for a
meeting on April 29, 2006, with Javier Solana, High Representative for the Common
Foreign and Security Policy of the EU. They will discuss regional issues including the
situations in Iran, the Middle East, Afghanistan, Haiti and Sri Lanka.
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For further information, media representatives may contact:
Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs Canada
(613) 995-1874
http://www.international.gc.ca
