Canadian PM to pay first visit to Middle East

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced Friday that he will be visiting Israel, the West Bank, and Jordan from Jan. 18 to 25, his first official visit to the Middle East since he took office in 2006. Harper said in a news release that he will meet with political and business leaders as well as various community and business stakeholders, with a view to promoting commercial relations, advancing peace and security, and reinforcing the principles of democracy and good governance in the region. "Canada has strong people-to-people ties and growing commercial relations with the Middle East and strongly supports a just and lasting peace in the region, which would greatly benefit Israelis and Palestinians alike," he said. "I look forward to exploring ways of increasing economic cooperation with our partners while promoting the fundamental Canadian values of democracy, freedom, good governance and respect for the rule of law that are the foundations for peace," he added. According to the schedule, from Jan. 19-22, Harper will meet with Israeli President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss ways to increase trade and further strengthen bilateral ties, including in the areas of science and technology. The leaders will also discuss the Middle East Peace Process and regional security, including the persistent threat posed by Iran and instability in Syria. Official statistics show that in 2012, trade in merchandise between Canada and Israel was valued at 1.41 billion Canadian dollars. Support for Israel and its right to live in peace and security with its neighbors has been a Canadian policy since 1948. Canada is committed to the goal of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East, including the creation of a viable and independent Palestinian state living side-by-side in peace and security with Israel through a negotiated agreement. Harper will travel to the West Bank on Jan. 20 to meet with Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority. Canada supports the Palestinian Authority's efforts to build the institutions and infrastructure necessary for a viable Palestinian state established through a negotiated agreement with the Jewish State of Israel. Bilateral trade between Canada and the West Bank and Gaza Strip is modest but growing, totaling 6.1 million Canadian dollars in 2012. On the last leg, Harper will travel to Jordan on Jan. 22-25, where he will meet with Jordan's King Abdullah II and Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour. Bilateral trade between Canada and Jordan is modest but generally trending upward, with Canadian exports to Jordan more than doubling in the last 10 years while imports from Jordan more than tripling. Harper's visit to the Middle East is the first by a sitting Canadian Prime Minister in more than a decade. He will be accompanied by a high-profile delegation including Foreign Minister John Baird, Minister of Industry James Moore, Minister of International Trade Ed Fast as well as leaders of Jewish communities in Canada.