Foreign Minister Jan Petersen will be in Ottawa, Canada, from 18 to 19 May 2005 to take part in the ministerial meeting of the Human Security Network. The main item on the agenda is UN reform. The aim is to contribute to a positive result at the UN summit meeting in September.

The Human Security Network was established by Norway and Canada in 1998, and is now made up of 13 countries (Austria, Canada, Chile, Greece, Ireland, Jordan, Mali, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, South Africa, Switzerland and Thailand). The informal and cross-regional nature of the network makes it possible for these countries to co-operate across the traditional boundaries in international politics. Thailand will take over the chair of the network at the end of the meeting in Ottawa.

Jan Petersen will be accompanied by Deputy Director General Øystein Bø, tel. +47 90520854.