Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I'd like to thank our guests.
I just have one quick question, and then I'll turn it over to Mr. Pearson.
Sudan is one of the top three recipient countries of Canadian aid in the world. However, that aid, as you mentioned, doesn't really go to the south. It goes mainly to the vast Darfur region. For the January 9 referendum to be valid, the turnout will have to be 60%. Last week, there was a meeting in Libya, and Col. Gadhafi stated that Sudan's independence would spread like a sickness to other African countries, and that the continent needed foreign investment and stability. He added that with this precedent, investors will shy away from investing in Africa.
In Sudan, there are nine neighbouring countries. Will they accept a positive referendum result on the creation of a new country in southern Sudan? Will the other neighbouring countries accept the decision?