PANAMA: DEMARCHE DELIVERED SEEKING SUPPORT FOR US

UNCLAS PANAMA 000388

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN
VANCOUVER FOR CG ARREAGA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PM POLITICS FOREIGN POLICY POL FOREIGN POL
SUBJECT: PANAMA: DEMARCHE DELIVERED SEEKING SUPPORT FOR US
VIEWS ON OAS SOCIAL CHARTER

REF: STATE 28929


1. (SBU) DCM demarched Vice Foreign Minister Ricardo Duran on
February 18, stressing U.S. concern about Venezuela's
aggressive bid to chair the working group that will draft the
OAS social charter and action plan. DCM underscored the U.S.
commitment to work constructively with other countries to
develop a realistic, non-polemical charter and action plan.
DCM pointed out that Venezuela's ideologically driven bid to
chair the working group runs the risk of undermining the OAS
goal of drafting a charter and action plan that does not
reflect mutually-shared principles among member states. DCM
outlined the list of solid choices to chair the working
group, adding that it was critical to preserve the OAS
principle of reaching consensus on a candidate. DCM
requested that Vice Foreign Minister Duran instruct Panama's
delegation to seek an alternative to Venezuela as chair of
this crucial OAS working group.


2. (SBU) Duran said he would speak to the Foreign Minister to
see how Panama could work constructively with the U.S. on
this issue. USOAS might want to follow up with Panamanian
PermRep Royo.
WATT