PANAMA FOREIGN MINISTER'S VIEWS ON THE CANDIDACY

C O N F I D E N T I A L PANAMA 000352

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV ETRD PM POL CHIEF
SUBJECT: PANAMA FOREIGN MINISTER'S VIEWS ON THE CANDIDACY
OF FRANCISCO FLORES FOR OAS SECRETARY GENERAL

REF: STATE 25152

Classified By: AMBASSADOR LINDA WATT FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) Ambassador met with Foreign Minister Samuel Lewis on
February 14 to discuss the OAS Secretary General race, per
reftel instructions. Bringing Spanish and English versions
of WHA PA's suggested op-ed article, she explained to Lewis
that she preferred to deliver the text directly to him rather
than to try to communicate with him on the issue via
newspapers. The Ambassador delineated Flores's strengths and
qualifications: Flores is a post-conflict, pragmatic,
business-friendly reformer. He is an experienced politician
and a leader of international stature, who is committed to
poverty alleviation with a social agenda. All those
qualities, the Ambassador said, were very much in tune with
President Torrijos's vision both domestically and
internationally. In addition, an OAS Secretary General from
a small, Central American country could be beneficial to
Panama's interests. Ambassador urged Lewis to support
Flores, adding that she would inform Washington of Panama's
position. (Comment: It is just possible, without sounding
too optimistic, that the shared wish to put the OAS issue
behind us could nudge the Panamanians toward a decision to
support Flores. End Comment.)


2. (C) Lewis took those points on board and promised to
discuss them with President Torrijos. He reiterated in all
frankness that the GOP had considered that the Flores
candidacy is not viable. Panama has been awaiting the
emergence of a candidate who could attract wider Hemispheric
support. (Note: As Embassy has consistently reported.)
Lewis and Torrijos were non-committal when they met on
February 11 with Chilean candidate Jose Miguel Insulza in
Panama. As an aside, Lewis mentioned that Chile had promised
to support Panama's aspirations to host the FTAA secretariat,
only to toss them aside recently in favor of Trinidad,
reportedly in exchange for Trinidad's support for Insulza.
Lewis said that he believed the upcoming CARICOM meeting
would be important in showing momentum towards a consensus.


3. (SBU) Also per reftel, Ambassador plans on February 16 to
speak with the Salvadoran Ambassador, when she will return
from travel, to arrange a joint meeting of CentAm ambassadors
with Foreign Minister Lewis. The new Dominican ambassador
has signaled his willingness to join such a meeting.

WATT