Canada to join APEC summit

Fri, 02 Oct 1998, 00:00 WIB | Source: REUTERS

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.

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