Canada warns its citizens of ME origin from visiting the USA
Regional-Canada, Politics, 10/31/2002

The Canadian foreign ministry yesterday issued a statement which is considered very rare, warning its citizens, who are of Middle East origin of the risks of traveling to the USA.

The Canadian step came after the US has embarked on measures to subjugate every and each person born in Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya and Sudan for having his finger prints upon arriving on its territories.

The statement also reflects Canada's worries over the US evacuation of a Canadian citizen of Syrian origin to Damascus earlier this month.

The statement read that those who were born in Pakistan, Yemen, Saudi Arabia are attracting the attention of the US authorities. The statement also called on all citizens who have origin from the said countries to be cautious while thinking to visiting the USA for any reason even if only for "transit" reasons.

The spokesman for the Canadian foreign ministry said that "Canada does not at all approve of the American approach and considered it as a discriminatory step against certain Canadians." He added that the Canadian foreign minister Bell Graham raised this issue in September with his US counterpart Colin Powell who vowed that the US authorities will show flexibility concerning Canadian citizens.

Previous Stories:
  Montreal hosts African development conference   (4/10/2002)
  Canada freezes Islamic assets   (12/6/2001)
  AL Cheif confers with Canadian official about ME situation   (2/21/2001)

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