PANAMA'S CANDIDATE FOR A POSITION WITHIN THE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PANAMA 002416 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN/SCHIFFER AND IO/UNP E.O. 12958:N/A TAGS: AORC PREL PGOV PM UNDP POLITICS FOREIGN POLICY SUBJECT: PANAMA'S CANDIDATE FOR A POSITION WITHIN THE COMMITTEE ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION. ¶1. (U) This is an action request. See paragraph 4. ¶2. (U) On November 15, Embassy Panama received GOP Diplomatic Note DGOCI/DGca/896/05, dated November 2, 2005, by which the Ministry of Foreign Relations informs the USG that the Government of Panama has decided to submit Guillermo Castro Herrera as a candidate for a position on the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, and seeks USG support for Castro. (Begin informal translation:) The Ministry of Foreign Relations -Directorate General of International Organizations and Conferences- presents its compliments to the Honorable Embassy of the United States of America and has the honor to inform the Embassy that the Government of the Republic of Panama has decided to present the candidacy of Guillermo Castro Herrera to serve on the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, in the elections that will be held at the XXI Assembly of the Committee on January 12, 2006. As shown in his resume, the knowledge and experience of Mr. Castro Herrera in these matters would effectively contribute to the work of the Committee. Taking into consideration this and the ties of friendship and cooperation between both governments, the Ministry of Foreign Relations -Directorate General of International Organizations and Conferences- requests the valuable support of your Government in favor of the Panamanian candidate. The Ministry of Foreign Relations -Directorate General of International Organizations and Conferences- takes this opportunity to reiterate to the Embassy of the United States of America the assurances of its highest and most distinguished considerations. Panama, November 2, 2005. Following is an unofficial Embassy translation of Castro Herrera's resume as sent by the Government of Panama: Surnames and name: Castro Herrera, Guillermo Place and date of birth: Panama, 1950 Working languages: Spanish, English Current Position or duties: Associate Academic Director, City of Knowledge Foundation, Panama. Professor, Master's in Higher Education, University of the Isthmus, Panama. Main professional activities: Director of the Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies (ICGES),Ministry of Health, Republic of Panama. September 1997 - September 1999; Technical Secretary of Panama's Social Cabinet, July 1995 - May 1998; Social Participation Director, Ministry of Health, Republic of Panama, February 1995 - March 1996; Coordinator of Degree courses and the B.A. in International Relations, University of the Americas, C.A., Department of International Studies. Mexico, D.F., February 15, 1993 to January 1, 1994. Academic titles: Doctorate in Latin American Studies, School of Philosophy, National Autonomous University of Mexico, 1993-1995; Master's in Latin American Studies, School of Political and Social Sciences, National Autonomous University of Mexico, 1976-1979; Bachelor of Arts, School of Arts, University of Orient, Santiago of Cuba, 1968-1973. Other main activities in the field related to the corresponding body: Researcher. Political Ecology Working Group. Latin American Council of Social Sciences; Member. "Jos Mart" International Solidarity Committee. National Culture Distinction, granted by the Republic of Cuba's Ministry of Culture. Resolution No. 107, Havana, Cuba, July 10, 2002; Il. Report on Ecology, Culture and Society. Antonio Nez Jimnez Foundation on Nature and Man, Havana. Member of the Advisory Board; "Justo Arosemena" Latin American Studies Center, Panama. Associate Researcher and Governing Committee Member; "Tareas", magazine of the "Justo Arosemena" Latin American rican Studies Center: member of the Drafting Board, Panama. Most recent publications in that field: "Pro Mundi Beneficio. Elements for Panama's environmental history, II" and "The Isthmus in the World. Elements for a general history of Panama," in Panama's General History. Director Alfredo Castillero. National Committee of the Republic's Centennial. Panama, 2004; "Nature, society and history in Latin America," in Political Ecology. Nature, society and utopia. Latin American Council of Social Sciences, Buenos Aires, March 2002; The Works of Adjustment and Combat. Nature and society in Latin America's history. 1994 House of the Americas Award for socio-historical essay. Havana/Bogota, 1994; (End informal translation.) ¶3. (U) Post will fax a copy of the note to the Panama Desk. ¶4. (U) Embassy welcomes Department's guidance on Panama's request for U.S. support for its candidate to the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. Eaton