(No. 33 – January 19, 2010 – 8:10 ET) The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, issued the following statement welcoming the Ouagadougou Joint Declaration of January 15:
“Canada welcomes the provisions of the Ouagadougou Joint Declaration of January 15, 2010, and the military junta’s evident willingness to conduct a peaceful transition in order to restore Guinea’s constitutional order.
“Canada especially welcomes the announcement that a unity government will be formed with the active participation of the opposition Forces Vives, that elections will be held within six months, and that participants in the transition will be excluded from the election. Furthermore, Canada is encouraged by provisions of the Joint Declaration that call for a transition to civilian rule as a means of protecting the interests of the Guinean people.
“Canada supports the strong African commitment that contributed to the Ouagadougou Joint Declaration, a decisive step in resolving the situation. Canada congratulates all those who made a sustained effort to resolve the crisis in Guinea, particularly the Economic Community of West African States, the President of Burkina Faso, Blaise Compaoré, who acted as mediator, and the African Union.
“Canada calls on Guinea’s military leaders to respect their commitments in order to end this crisis, which threatens the stability of the entire sub-region. Canada will continue to monitor the situation through its participation in the International Contact Group on Guinea.”
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