Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07PANAMA1095
2007-06-27 18:23:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Panama
Cable title:
GOP TO SEEK QUICK TPA RATIFICATION IN JULY
how-toVZCZCXYZ0011 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHZP #1095 1781823 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 271823Z JUN 07 FM AMEMBASSY PANAMA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0705 INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA PRIORITY 2602 RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA PRIORITY 0699 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC PRIORITY RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC//DHO-5// PRIORITY RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC PRIORITY RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY
UNCLAS PANAMA 001095
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR FOR WHA/CEN - TELLO & FOR WHA/EPSC
ALSO FOR EB/TPP/BTA - LAMPRON
STATE PASS USTR - EISSENSTAT AND SHIGETOMI
USDOC/MAC - GAISFORD
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD ECON PM
SUBJECT: GOP TO SEEK QUICK TPA RATIFICATION IN JULY
This message is Senstive But Unclassified. Please protect
accordingly.
UNCLAS PANAMA 001095
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR FOR WHA/CEN - TELLO & FOR WHA/EPSC
ALSO FOR EB/TPP/BTA - LAMPRON
STATE PASS USTR - EISSENSTAT AND SHIGETOMI
USDOC/MAC - GAISFORD
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD ECON PM
SUBJECT: GOP TO SEEK QUICK TPA RATIFICATION IN JULY
This message is Senstive But Unclassified. Please protect
accordingly.
1. (SBU) First Vice President/Foreign Minister Samuel Lewis
Navarro told Ambassador on June 26 that the GOP will seek
quick action by Panama's National Assembly to ratify the
U.S.-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement (TPA). As the Assembly
normally goes into recess after June 30, he said President
Martin Torrijos will convene the Assembly for an
extraordinary session in July. Following the June 28 TPA
signing in Washington, the GOP plans to submit the TPA to the
Assembly on Monday, July 2. Lewis expects the Assembly to
debate and ratify the pact by mid-July. He appeared
unconcerned that there would have been very little time for
Panamanians to digest recent changes to the TPA text on
labor, environment, IPR, and other issues. (The Trade
Ministry had posted the original Spanish draft text on its
website last January.)
2. (SBU) Lewis understood that the U.S. Congress would not
likely consider the Panama TPA before its August recess,
given the International Trade Commission's expected September
completion of its report on the deal's impact. He further
understood the USG's desire to get ratification of all
pending FTAs. He said that nobody other than Colombian
President Uribe was more anxious than President Torrijos to
see the U.S. Congress ratify the U.S.-Colombia FTA, given
that the Colombian and Panamanian deals appear lashed
together in Washington. However, Lewis reiterated the GOP's
concern that the Panama deal not be "held hostage" should
Congressional resistance to the Colombia FTA ultimately prove
insurmountable.
3. (SBU) Comment: The GOP clearly hopes the Assembly's quick
TPA ratification would signal Panama's strong support for
free trade and help boost support in Washington for prompt
U.S. ratification. Lewis's confidence is bolstered by the
fact that Torrijos' PRD party controls the unicameral
National Assembly and by the support the TPA enjoys among
opposition figures. The GOP nonetheless also hopes to avoid
a protracted debate that could erode the support (about 62%)
of Panamanians for the TPA. End comment.
LATTIMER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR FOR WHA/CEN - TELLO & FOR WHA/EPSC
ALSO FOR EB/TPP/BTA - LAMPRON
STATE PASS USTR - EISSENSTAT AND SHIGETOMI
USDOC/MAC - GAISFORD
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD ECON PM
SUBJECT: GOP TO SEEK QUICK TPA RATIFICATION IN JULY
This message is Senstive But Unclassified. Please protect
accordingly.
1. (SBU) First Vice President/Foreign Minister Samuel Lewis
Navarro told Ambassador on June 26 that the GOP will seek
quick action by Panama's National Assembly to ratify the
U.S.-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement (TPA). As the Assembly
normally goes into recess after June 30, he said President
Martin Torrijos will convene the Assembly for an
extraordinary session in July. Following the June 28 TPA
signing in Washington, the GOP plans to submit the TPA to the
Assembly on Monday, July 2. Lewis expects the Assembly to
debate and ratify the pact by mid-July. He appeared
unconcerned that there would have been very little time for
Panamanians to digest recent changes to the TPA text on
labor, environment, IPR, and other issues. (The Trade
Ministry had posted the original Spanish draft text on its
website last January.)
2. (SBU) Lewis understood that the U.S. Congress would not
likely consider the Panama TPA before its August recess,
given the International Trade Commission's expected September
completion of its report on the deal's impact. He further
understood the USG's desire to get ratification of all
pending FTAs. He said that nobody other than Colombian
President Uribe was more anxious than President Torrijos to
see the U.S. Congress ratify the U.S.-Colombia FTA, given
that the Colombian and Panamanian deals appear lashed
together in Washington. However, Lewis reiterated the GOP's
concern that the Panama deal not be "held hostage" should
Congressional resistance to the Colombia FTA ultimately prove
insurmountable.
3. (SBU) Comment: The GOP clearly hopes the Assembly's quick
TPA ratification would signal Panama's strong support for
free trade and help boost support in Washington for prompt
U.S. ratification. Lewis's confidence is bolstered by the
fact that Torrijos' PRD party controls the unicameral
National Assembly and by the support the TPA enjoys among
opposition figures. The GOP nonetheless also hopes to avoid
a protracted debate that could erode the support (about 62%)
of Panamanians for the TPA. End comment.
LATTIMER