Canada to join APEC summit

Canada to join APEC summit

OTTAWA (Reuters): Canada said on Wednesday it will attend the November APEC summit in Kuala Lumpur despite its concerns over the treatment of dissidents in Malaysia.

"We are intending to go to Kuala Lumpur, and we will take up concerns with Mr. Mahathir when we're there," Sophie Galarneau, a spokeswoman for Prime Minister Jean Chretien, told Reuters.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad is under fire at home and abroad for the arrest of former deputy prime minister and finance minister Anwar Ibrahim, who says he was beaten while in police custody.

Earlier in the day, Canadian cabinet member Raymond Chan had spoken of doubts whether the 18-nation Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum should hold its annual summit in Malaysia.