TORONTO, Jan. 27 (UPI) -- The Secretary General of NATO, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, will visit Ottawa on January 28 and 29, 2004, Canada's Foreign Minister Bill Graham said Tuesday.
"Canada welcomes Secretary General de Hoop Scheffer on his first visit to Canada," said Minister Graham. "I look forward to further developing our strong ties with NATO and discussing our collective interests in advance of the Istanbul Summit."
"Canada continues to fully support NATO and is heavily engaged in the Alliance's peace support operations," Canada's National Defense Minister David Pratt said.
"Almost 2,000 of our troops serve on a NATO-led mission in Afghanistan and 1,200 Canadian Forces members are in Bosnia-Herzegovina with the NATO Stabilization Force."
NATO official's visit to Canada marks his first to a NATO member state since being appointed Secretary General. During his stay in Ottawa, he will meet with Ministers Graham and Pratt.
De Hoop Scheffer took office on January 5, 2004. He is NATO's 11th Secretary General.
