Canada,UK agree to share space at embassies

OTTAWA - Canada and Britain agreed to share space in each other's embassies around the world, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird announced here Monday.

Under the Memorandum of Understanding for Enhancing Mutual Support at Missions Abroad, signed by Baird and his British counterpart William Hague, both sides will explore "further co-location and enhanced collaboration on consular services and assistance."

"We are not moving to merge all of our embassies and consulates in the world," said Baird, adding that Canada and Britain would also not share ambassadors as part of the agreement.

"Each country will continue to have complete independence on policy," said Baird. This allows Canada "to focus on smart diplomacy without spending large amounts of taxpayers' dollars on bricks and mortar."

He said the document allows Canada to pursue "a small number of administrative arrangements where we can co-locate" with Britain, such as giving British diplomats an office at the Canadian embassy in Haiti where Britain has no presence and allowing a Canadian diplomat to work at the British embassy in Myanmar, where Canada plans to soon open a mission.

Hague explained that the diplomatic partnership is "about speed, flexibility and practicality," and is "not about diplomats working for two countries at the same time."

However, Monday's bilateral agreement did not indicate which embassies, consulates or high commissions would jointly fly the Canadian Maple Leaf and British Union Jack flags.

Prior to the joint news conference, Baird told the House of Commons during the daily question period that Britain shares embassy space with Canada in Mali, and that Canada has similar sharing arrangements with Australia.

"Canada will continue to pursue a strong, principled, value-based, independent Canadian foreign policy," said Baird in response to a question from Official Opposition Leader Thomas Mulcair.

"Why stop at the embassies?" chided Mulcair, saying that under the agreement, Canadian foreign policy would be "difficult to distinguish" from that of the British and that Britain will be "the de facto face of Canada in the world."

Earlier in the day, Bob Rae, the interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, tweeted that "Canada recedes in the world as it sub-contracts its foreign representation to Britain and (Prime Minister Stephen) Harper gives up a speaking spot at the UN."

He was referring to Harper's decision not to address the annual opening of the UN General Assembly when he is in New York on Thursday to accept a World Statesman of the Year award from the Appeal of Conscience Foundation.

Britain is reportedly trimming 100 million British pounds ($162 million) from its Foreign Office budget, while Canada is cutting 170 million Canadian dollars ($174 million) from its Foreign Affairs departmental budget.