March 19, 2012 - Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird will travel to Saudi Arabia and Qatar from March 20 to 21, 2012.
In Riyadh, the Saudi Arabian capital, Baird will meet his counterpart, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Saud Al-Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.
In Jeddah, Baird will meet with Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
Topics of discussion will include the deteriorating situation in Syria, Iran, regional security throughout the Middle East, trade and commerce, and other matters of mutual interest. Baird will also meet with members of the Saudi Human Rights Commission.
While in Qatar, Baird will meet with Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Hamad Bin Jassin Bin Jabr Al-Thani. Baird will gauge Qatar’s perspective on the situation in Syria and the broader Middle East, as well as discuss Canada-Qatar bilateral relations.
In Doha, Baird will officially open Canada’s new embassy.
For more information, please visit Canada-Saudi Arabia Relations, Canada-Qatar Relations and Situation In Syria.
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Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
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