Canadian foreign minister in Middle East next month

Canadian Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy will pay an official visit to the Middle East next month during which he will visit Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.

Axworthy will discuss with officials in these countries means of boosting relations in the political and economic fields. This visit comes after the failed attempt carried out by the Israeli Intelligence Service (Mossad) to assassinate the leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in Jordan in which forged Canadian passports were used.

Canada expressed its displeasure with this operation because Israel involved Canada's name. Canada summoned its ambassador to Israel in response to the Israeli intelligence agents' use of forged Canadian passports and warned Israel against repeating such actions.

The Canadian Foreign Minister is expected to explain to officials in the countries which he will visit that Canada knew nothing of this operation.