Senegal demands apology from Canada for Francophonie head's treatment

Senegal's foreign minister on Saturday demanded apologies from Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper for the treatment of the Senegalese head of the International Francophone Organization at Toronto's airport.

During the opening session of the Francophonie's conference on preventing conflict, Senegalese Foreign Minister Cheikh Tidiane Gadio demanded "sincere and public apologies" from Harper.

Abdou Diouf, secretary-general of Francophonie and former Senegalese president, was reportedly body-searched earlier this week upon his arrival at Pearson International Airport in Toronto.

According to a text of Gadio's remarks handed by Senegal's delegation, Gadio asked the Canadian government to investigate the incident and offer "an apology rather than merely express regret."

The incident was "extremely serious" for Senegal, Gadio told the press after the session.

"We ask that the former president of Senegal be treated with deference and respect, and he was not treated that way," said Gadio.

Harper's office said Canada's foreign minister and international cooperation minister had already expressed regret after the incident.

Source: Xinhua