Bilateral relations between Canada and Lebanon and the perilous situation in the region are expected to dominate discussions between the two countries’ prime ministers when they meet in Ottawa on Monday, reported the Daily Star newspaper on Saturday.
Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri arrives in Canada after a five-day visit to the US where he met President Bush, Secretary of State Colin Powell and other high-ranking officials.
In the Canadian capital, in addition to his meeting Premier Jean Chretien, Hariri’s whirlwind visit will include meetings with Foreign Affairs Minister John Manley, the Canadian and Lebanese-Canadian business community and a Monday evening dinner hosted by Chretien.
“This is a working visit, not an official or state trip, said Lebanese Ambassador Raymond Baaklini, explaining why “there will not be anything organized by the embassy for the Lebanese community here.”
However, many members of that community will have occasion to meet both prime ministers and their respective delegations during Monday evening’s dinner, or during a meeting scheduled between Hariri and the business leaders, both Canadian and Lebanese-Canadian.
While Hariri’s Sunday evening is expected to remain relatively informal, Monday will be packed, according to the paper.
After an early morning interview with The Globe and Mail, Canada’s leading and most respected and notably less pro-Israeli national newspaper, the prime minister will meet officials of Canada Post, the company that has been working with LibanPost to overhaul what was once Lebanon’s archaic postal system.
Shortly after, Hariri will meet Chretien. According to Press Secretary Marianne Goodwin, on the agenda are bilateral relations, trade, investment opportunities, and the forthcoming Francophonie conference, which will be held in Lebanon in October, said the paper.
Also likely to be discussed are the deployment of the Lebanese Army in the south, Lebanon’s political and economic stability, and the situation in the Middle East since the peace talks broke off months ago.
“I’m very concerned about recent confrontations” in the region, Chretien said in a press statement. He said his discussions with Hariri would subsequently focus on what role the international community can play to ease the tensions.
“It’s important that Canada remains supportive of Lebanon’s position vis-a-vis the Arab-Israeli conflict,” said Mazen Chouaib, executive director of the National Council on Canada Arab relations.
To that end, the Lebanese delegation will likely ask Canada to clarify its position on a number of stands. For example, the Canadian government’s reaction to the recent Israeli attack on a Syrian position in Lebanon was somewhat “in between,” said Baaklini.
“We’ll ask for clarity on that point and question how is it that the aggressor is being seen as the victim.” – Albawaba.com
