28 May 2010
Ottawa, Ontario
Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced that he will travelling to the United Kingdom and France from June 2 to 4. He will meet with David Cameron, newly-elected Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, in London and with Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France, and François Fillion, Prime Minister of France, in Paris to discuss the upcoming G-8 and G-20 Summits. The meetings also will provide an opportunity to coordinate approaches to the international financial crisis and other key global issues.
“The UK and France are close friends and allies who will be critical players in the upcoming G-8 and G-20 meetings being hosted by Canada next month,” said Prime Minister Harper. “I look forward to their insights on the global economy and international security and development which will help maximize results at the Leaders’ Meetings.”
Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, will accompany Prime Minister Harper to the United Kingdom and France.
This will be Prime Minister Harper’s first meeting with David Cameron since Mr. Cameron was elected Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The two countries share the oldest continuous traditions of parliamentary democracy. Canada-United Kingdom relations benefit through close partnership and co-operation in various international organizations, including the Commonwealth, United Nations, G-8, G-20, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, NATO and World Trade Organization. The United Kingdom is an important trading partner and a strong ally in Afghanistan.
France is a key international ally for Canada and a permanent member of the UN Security Council, NATO, G-8, G-20, a founding nation of the European Union, and Canada’s lead partner in La Francophonie. France and Canada share a commitment to multilateralism, the promotion of democracy, human rights, good governance and development. The two countries are strong commercial partners and work closely together in the area of peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan, Haiti and Africa. France will assume presidency of the G-8 and G-20 in 2011.
