William D. Casey, M.P.

Cumberland Colchester

712 Confederation Building

House of Commons

Ottawa, ON  K1A 0A6

House of Commons

Chambre des communes

Canada

Press Release

Ottawa Tel: (613) 992-3366

Ottawa Fax: (613) 992-7220

Amherst Tel: (902) 667-8679

Truro Tel: (902) 893-2455

December 5, 2002

Ottawa – Bill Casey, PC Critic for Foreign Affairs, accepted an invitation from Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister Tarik Aziz to visit Iraq.  Casey arrived in Damascus, Syria and has since travelled to Baghdad, Iraq.

            Casey has met with Mr. Aziz, as well as the Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, the Minister of Health and the Minister of Trade.  He will also be meeting with the Minister of Information and a group of representatives from Physicians for Global Survival.

At every opportunity, Casey has emphasized the requirement that Iraq fully comply with United Nations Resolution 1441, which calls for the Iraqi Government to cooperate by providing unfettered access to all Iraqi sites for United Nations Weapon Inspectors. Casey is encouraged by the work of the United Nations Weapons Inspectors to date.

Several Iraqi Ministers have made specific requests for Canadians to consider, which Casey will deliver to the Honourable Bill Graham, Minister of Foreign Affairs on his return. The Iraqi Speaker has requested that Canada renew Parliamentary exchanges with Iraq.  Discussions also centred on Iraq’s relationship with Canada in a post-weapons inspection environment.

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For more information:

Bill Casey, M.P.

(613) 992-3366