INTERIM RESPONSE ON CANADIAN UNGA ATTENDANCE

UNCLAS OTTAWA 000577 SIPDIS DEPT FOR IO/UNP (SUN) AND WHA/PPC (BEN-YAHUDA),USUN FOR DUGAN, AND NSC FOR BROWN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL OTRA OVIP KSEP CVIS UNGA CA SUBJECT: INTERIM RESPONSE ON CANADIAN UNGA ATTENDANCE REF: STATE 68590 ¶1. Responses keyed to reftel, per instructions. ¶A. Attendance of Head of State -- The Governor General has no plans to attend UNGA, according to Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) UN and Commonwealth Affairs Policy Advisor David Murphy Haglund. -- Governor General Michaelle Jean ¶B. Attendance of Head of Government -- The Prime Minister's Office will not decide on his participation or meeting requests until "much later in the summer and most likely in September" according to DFAIT's Murphy Haglund. -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper -- No interpretation required. ¶C. Attendance of Foreign Minister -- The Foreign Minister will "definitely attend" UNGA, according to Haglund, but has still not fixed his arrival date or meeting requests. -- Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon -- No interpretation required. ¶D. Attendance of other VIPs -- Haglund had no information at this time on other VIPs or their attendance plans. He added this will likely change as Canada refines its UNGA plans in mid to late August. ¶E. Attendance of Foreign Ministry official responsible for IO affairs -- Haglund reiterated that the Foreign Minister will decide on senior DFAIT attendance in mid to late August. -- Assistant Deputy Minister (Under Secretary equivalent) Keith Christie -- International Organization Director General David Angell -- No interpretation required. Visit Canada,s North American partnership community at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap / BREESE