JULY 4 MESSAGE FROM PANAMANIAN PRESIDENT TORRIJOS

UNCLAS PANAMA 001445 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR S/CPR AND WHA/CEN E.O. 12958:N/A TAGS: ODIP OPDC PM POL SPECIALIST SUBJECT: JULY 4 MESSAGE FROM PANAMANIAN PRESIDENT TORRIJOS TO PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH ¶1. ON MONDAY, JULY 4, EMBASSY PANAMA RECEIVED ORIGINAL NOTE DGPCE NO. 794/2005 TRANSMITTING A CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT MARTIN TORRIJOS TO PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH ON A NEW CELEBRATION OF THE U.S. INDEPENDENCE DAY. EMBASSY TRANSLATION OF TEXT FOLLOWS: BEGIN TEXT. PLEASE ACCEPT MY MOST SINCERE AND WARMEST CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS HAPPY OCCASION, WHEN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CELEBRATES ITS 229TH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY, WHICH I EXTEND TO THE NOBLE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES. THE HISTORIC RELATIONS BETWEEN PANAMA AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, BEAR A VERY SPECIAL MEANING BECAUSE WE REACH ONE HUNDRED AND TWO YEARS, WHICH THROUGH TESTS AND BY OVERCOMING OBSTACLES, NEW FORMULAS OF COLLABORATION AND GREATER SIMILARITIES IN SUBJECTS OF MUTUAL INTEREST HAVE BEEN FOUND, TO CONVERGE TODAY INTO A RELATIONSHIP OF MAGNIFICENT PARTNERS, EXPANDING THE BILATERAL COOPERATION IN DIVERSE DISCIPLINES WHERE AGREEMENTS HAVE BEEN SIGNED. PROOF OF THAT GOOD WILL IS THE CURRENT NEGOTIATION OF THE FREE TRADE AGREEMENT, WHICH I HOPE WILL BE SIGNED DURING THIS YEAR. I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY, MR. PRESIDENT, TO THANK YOU FOR THE EXCELLENT HOSPITALITY THAT YOU PROVIDED ME, AS WELL AS THE DELEGATION THAT ACCOMPANIED ME, ON THE OCCASION OF THE WORK MEETING WE HELD THIS PAST APRIL, TO REVIEW OUR COMMON AGENDA. ALSO, I WISH TO RENEW THE COMMITMENT OF CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOUR EXCELLENCY, FOR THE CONSOLIDATION OF OUR DEMOCRACIES, TRANSPARENCY, GOVERNANCE AND MUTUAL RESPECT. I ALSO PROPOSE TO COMBINE EFFORTS, IN THE INTERNATIONAL ARENA TO CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE PROMOTION OF INTERNATIONAL PEACE, SECURITY AND STABILITY. ACCEPT, EXCELLENCY, MY WISHES FOR YOUR HEALTH, PERSONAL HAPPINESS AND THE PROSPERITY OF YOUR COUNTRY. MARTIN TORRIJOS PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF PANAMA END TEXT. ¶2. EMBASSY WILL POUCH SIGNED ORIGINAL. WATT