THE WHITE HOUSE

                     Office of the Press Secretary
                            (Mumbai, India)
________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                     March 24, 2000

SPECIAL ENVOY MACKAY HEADS US DELEGATION TO THE PERU ECUADOR CONSULTATIVE GROUP MEETING, AND ATTENDS THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE

INTER-AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK IN NEW ORLEANS

President Clinton's Special Envoy for the Americas, Kenneth H. "Buddy" MacKay Jr. will travel to New Orleans to head the delegation to the Peru-Ecuador Consultative Group meeting on March 23, and to address The 2000 Annual Meeting of the Inter-American Development Bank on March 24th.

At the Peru-Ecuador Consultative meeting in the Morial Convention Center, Envoy MacKay will speak in support of peace and stability by encouraging continued efforts of all participating countries to develop the Peru-Ecuador border region. At the Inter-American Development Bank meeting also in the Morial Center, he will participate on panels relating to politics and government in Latin America and confronting national disasters. He will also hold bilateral discussions with government leaders from other countries of the hemisphere on issues of mutual bilateral concern.

"As we meet to discuss regional development, we need to remind ourselves of the fundamental linkage between peace and prosperity. This will ultimately move the hemisphere forward," Envoy MacKay stated before his departure for New Orleans." This means a commitment to democracy, peaceful resolution of differences, and economic development through free and open markets."

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