PANAMA HOSTS SUMMIT ON REGIONAL INTEGRATION

UNCLAS PANAMA 001359 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV ETRD PM SUBJECT: PANAMA HOSTS SUMMIT ON REGIONAL INTEGRATION REF: A. PANAMA 1294 ¶B. PANAMA 1303 ¶C. PANAMA 1293 ¶1. (U) The presidents and foreign ministers of the Central American countries, Mexico, and Colombia gathered in Panama July 11 for the 8th summit of the Tuxtla Mechanism and the System for Central American Integration (SICA). The foreign ministers held a pre-summit meeting July 10 to finalize the agenda for the SICA meeting and discuss implementation of the Puebla Panama Plan (see reftels A and B). ¶2. (U) Today's presidential summit opened with a speech by Panamanian President Torrijos. He urged the attendees to work as a regional group, calling integration the best strategy for development and to combat poverty. Torrijos also called for the revitalization of regional bodies including Parlacen and the Central American Court of Justice. As expected, Torrijos also focused on energy issues, emphasizing the importance of alternative energy sources and the need to create a Central American energy market. He reiterated the importance of a Mesoamerican program for a regional refinery. President Torrijos did not appear to indicate how the MesoAmerican refinery initiative would fit with Panama's recent MOU with Venezuela also for the development of a refinery. (Ref C) ¶3. (U) Following the opening address, the leaders moved to a three-hour plenary session before signing the official SICA declaration. The declaration stated the group's objective of continuing to advance the consolidation of SICA to make Central America a region of peace, freedom, democracy and development. The declaration contained 28 points on issues as disparate as trade cooperation, immigration, demining, malnutrition, violence against women, tourism and free trade with the EU, among others. ¶4. (U) The leaders also issued a statement citing concern about the July 4-5 North Korean missile launch, calling it a "threat to the stability and security of the region and the international community." ¶5. (U) Post will follow with more detail regarding the meeting's results. EATON