Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PANAMA1359
2006-07-11 21:56:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Panama
Cable title:  

PANAMA HOSTS SUMMIT ON REGIONAL INTEGRATION

Tags:  PREL PGOV ETRD PM 
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TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8539
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE
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RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
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RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL//J5/J2/POLAD//
RUEHXC/ALL US CONSULATES MEXICO COLLECTIVE
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

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