UNITED NATIONS mM NATIONS UNIES

POSTAL ADDRESS - ADRESSE POSTALE : . N.Y. 10017 CABLE ADDRESS - ADRESSE TELEGRAPHIQUE : UNATIONS NEWYORK

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL CABINET DU SECRETAIRE GENERAL

14 March 2006

Excellency,

I would be grateful if you could kindly forward the enclosed letter to His Excellency Mr. , Prime Minister of .

A copy of the letter is attached for your information.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Mark Malloch Brown Chef de Cabinet

Her Excellency Ms. Ellen Margrethe L0j Permanent Representative of Denmark to the United Nations New York

* UNITED NATIONS iM! NATIONS UNIES

POSTALADORESS - ADRESSE POSTALE : UNITED NATIONS. N.T. 1001 7 CABLE ADDRESS - ADRESSE TELEGRAPHIQUE : UNATIONS NEWYORK

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL CABINET DU SECRETAIRE GENERAL

14 March 2006

Excellency,

I would like to thank you for your kind invitation to participate in the dinner and high level conference on peace building that Your Excellency will be hosting on 10 and 11 May 2006, respectively.

I commend your Government for the initiative and commitment for cooperation with Africa. The continued support of Denmark for peace building in Africa is of great importance for its development.

I think the topic is certainly a timely and relevant issue to be discussed among such eminent participants, to which I would have been very happy to contribute. While I am most grateful for the invitation, it is with great regret that I must decline, due to prior official commitments that prevent me from traveling to Copenhagen on the proposed date.

I send my best wishes tor what is certain to be a most fruitful and successful conference.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Mark Malloch Brown Chef de Cabinet

MMB's autopen approved. His Excellency Mr. Anders Fogh Rasmussen Prime Minister of Denmark , „„ „ i Mark 0Suzman Copenhagen 1 V / 3 / J>J? -JB*A,A \/v\ n! ^J! fil FtB-62006 - 01600

THE PRIME MINISTER < „„, ______0 —, 0

Mr. Mark Malloch Brown Chef de Cabinet to the UN Secretary-General

Dear Mr. Malloch Brown, c . ' tf It is with great honour that I invite you to visit Denmark on 10-11 May 2006.

As you know, Denmark has a long tradition for cooperation with Africa and support for peace building in Africa is on of our main priorities.

Many words have been said and promises made to Africa and its people in 2005. It is now time to move from declarations and commitments to concrete action and implementation. Last year the UN took the important decision to establish the Peace Building Commission. Denmark was heavily engaged in the process leading up to this decision. Recently we became member of the Peace Building Commission for 2006 and will participate in the important work to set the Commission on the right track.

In this process it will be important to ensure that the African and the UN efforts are closely linked. I am therefore hosting a high level conference on peace building on 11 may 2006. The conference will draw upon African and UN experiences to further clarify the tasks of the Peace Building Commission and the future relationship between the African Union and the Commission. With that in mind I wish also to use the conference to bring forward the role of women in successful peace building as well as in the globalisation and development process. Your views on the UN experience and plans of action would be of greatest importance. I would highly appreciate your advice in this matter and hope you will be willing to give an intervention at the conference.

H.E. Alpha Oumar Konare, Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union, has already accepted to participate in the conference. It is my sincere hope that you will also accept my invitation. I have also invited H.E. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, President of Liberia, H.E. Luisa Diogo, Prime Minister of and Dr. Asha-Rose Migiro, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation of Tanzania. -2-

Furthermore, I would be honoured if you would participate in a dinner in the evening of the 10 May hosted by me. Your visit would also be a welcome opportunity for meetings with ministers in my Government and partners outside the Government.

I look forward to your reply - and hopefully to welcoming you to Denmark on 10 May.

Yours sincerely,

Anders Fogh Rasmussen