December 1, 2014 - Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today announced that this week he will attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Foreign Ministerial Meeting in Brussels, Belgium, from December 1 to 2, followed by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Foreign Ministerial Council in Basel, Switzerland, from December 3 to 4. From there he will travel to Manama, Bahrain, to participate in the 10th annual Manama Dialogue from December 6 to 7.
At the NATO meeting, Baird will reinforce Canada’s commitment to working with allies and partners to address a number of pressing security challenges, including Russia’s ongoing military aggression in Ukraine and its destabilizing impact on the region.
“Canada remains steadfast in our commitment to working with our NATO allies in promoting stability and security in Central and Eastern Europe—in particular in Ukraine, where Russia’s continued support for armed rebel groups continues to pose a very real threat to international peace and security,” said Baird. “Together with our partners and allies, we remain prepared to take additional steps to further isolate the regime.”
On the margins of the NATO meeting, Baird will participate in a U.S.-led meeting of the Global Coalition to Counter the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). There, he will be joined by more than 60 coalition partners committed to countering the significant threat posed by ISIL’s barbaric expansionist agenda and its impact on global peace and security.
“Canada is a proud partner in the international coalition combatting ISIL,” said Baird. “I look forward to meeting with coalition partners to discuss what more can be done to halt ISIL’s campaign of terror.”
At the OSCE ministerial council, Baird will again reaffirm Canada’s commitment and support for Ukraine and the crucial role that the OSCE is playing in addressing the crisis. He will then conclude his trip in Bahrain at the Manama Dialogue, a summit on regional security challenges. While there he will advocate for Canadian priorities in the Middle East and engage with regional partners to discuss a coordinated and action-oriented approach to countering violent extremism and terrorism.
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