PANAMA ON BOARD FOR A PRODUCTIVE SPECIAL SUMMIT OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L PANAMA 000023 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR USOAS/MAISTO, WHA/EPSC LISTON, AND WHA/CEN/BRIGHAM E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/06/2014 TAGS: PREL KSUM PM POLITICS FOREIGN POLICY SUBJECT: PANAMA ON BOARD FOR A PRODUCTIVE SPECIAL SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS REF: A. STATE 0443 ¶B. 03 STATE 348650 ¶C. 03 PANAMA 3151 Classified By: Ambassador Linda E. Watt for Reasons 1.5 (b) & (d) ¶1. (C) Ambassador Watt delivered reftel B demarche to Panama's Foreign Minister Harmodio Arias Madrid and Vice Foreign Minister and Summit of the Americas Coordinator Nivia Rossana Castrellon on December 30. Ambassador Watt stressed with FM Arias the four key areas in Reftel A talking points. On January 6, DCM discussed USG goals for the Special Summit with Arias, impressing upon him the need for concrete proposals and solutions to emerge from the Monterrey meeting. After requesting from Arias that Panama exercise the same leadership among Latin American countries as it did at the WTO Summit in Cancun, DCM stressed the need for hemispheric governments to commit to specific timelines, and to adopt concrete anti-corruption measures and programs to encourage small and medium enterprise. Arias said that President Moscoso fully supports President Bush's policies, and noted previous productive conversations between Emboffs and Castrellon regarding the Summit (Reftel C). Arias also said President Moscoso would seek an opportunity to discuss the status of Panama's request for designation as a distant foreign port under the Passenger Vessel Services Act with President Bush. ¶2. (U) MFA advised Embassy that Castrellon will lead Panama's delegation to the January 8-10 Summit Implementation Review Group meetings. President Moscoso and FM Arias will head Panama's approximately twelve-member delegation to the January 12-13 Summit. WATT