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Commonwealth Secretary-General visits Asia

20 October 2004

Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon is visiting Pakistan, Singapore, Maldives and India from 22 to 29 October 2004, to discuss issues of Commonwealth interest, including arrangements for the next Heads of Government Meeting in Malta in 2005.

Secretary-General Don McKinnon with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz of Singapore on the 23rd October 2004.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz of Pakistan.

Mr McKinnon was in Pakistan from 22 to 23 October. Where he met President Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, as well as parliamentarians and senior officials in Islamabad.

This was the Secretary-General's first visit to Pakistan after its reinstatement in the councils of the Commonwealth. It enabled high-level discussions on how Pakistan could once again fully participate in and contribute to Commonwealth activities in various fields.

The Secretary-General also discussed ways in which the Commonwealth can assist in strengthening democratic institutions in Pakistan and was briefed on recent political developments. During his visit, Mr McKinnon gave a talk on 'The Commonwealth in the 21st Century' at the Institute of Regional Studies in Islamabad.

The Secretary-General is visiting Singapore from 24 to 25 October, where he will meet the new Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, and Foreign Minister George Yeo. Mr McKinnon will also address the 10th anniversary conference of the Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management.

On 26 and 27 October, the Secretary-General will be in Maldives, where he will discuss the Government's proposed constitutional reforms with President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and Foreign Minister Fathulla Jameel. The Commonwealth has been asked by the Maldives Government to assist in its programme of democratic reforms.

Mr McKinnon will be in India on 28 and 29 October, where he will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh and other leaders. He will also meet business leaders under the auspices of the Confederation of Indian Industry.

Note to Editors:

Media contact Mr Joel Kibazo, Director of Communications, on + 44 77 40 45 09 01.

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