PANAMA: TORRIJOS OPPOSES NATIONAL DAY OF MOURNING,

C O N F I D E N T I A L PANAMA 001872 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/14/2017 TAGS: PREL SNAR PGOV KTIA PM SUBJECT: PANAMA: TORRIJOS OPPOSES NATIONAL DAY OF MOURNING, ABROGATION OF SALAS-BECKER REF: PANAMA 1867 Classified By: Ambassador William A. Eaton. Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d). -------------- Torrijos Opposes National Day of Mourning -------------- ¶1. (C) "President Torrijos wants you to know his concerns about Pedro Miguel's rant yesterday (December 13). His proposed resolution is not this Administration's policy, and the President does not support the idea of a National Day of Mourning on December 20," First VP and FM Samuel Lewis told Ambassador on December 14 on the margins a previously planned meeting. Pressed by Ambassador whether Torrijos would veto the resolution if the National Assembly adopted it, Lewis dismissed the possibility that it would gain enough votes to pass. (Note: Embassy Panama reported reftel on resolution proposed by National Assembly President Pedro Miguel Gonzalez (PMG),who is under federal indictment in connection with the 1992 murder of a U.S. serviceman, to establish December 20 -- the anniversary of the initiation of OPERATION JUST CAUSE -- as a National Day of Mourning.) -------------- Salas-Becker: Will Not Abrogate -------------- ¶2. (C) Lewis also shared that Torrijos was equally disgusted with PMG's call to abrogate the U.S.-Panama Salas-Becker Maritime Cooperation Agreement. "That will not happen," Lewis said categorically. Noting that he also believed that such an effort would not gain the support of the National Assembly, Lewis added, "The President has stated emphatically that he would veto it." -------------- --- GOP Appreciative of U.S. Handling of PMG's Rants -------------- --- ¶3. (C) Lewis said that he and Torrijos appreciated "the mature way" that the U.S. had managed its public and private reaction to PMG's "rants." "Not responding to him is the way that the U.S. and our Administration are and should continue to deal with PMG's ludicrous outbursts." In response to press inquiry concerning PMG's National Day of Mourning Resolution, Embassy spokesman remarked, "We prefer to look forward and are very satisfied to have a mature democratic partner in Panama today." -------------- Comment -------------- ¶4. (C) Lewis is well aware of the continuing challenges that PMG presents to the bilateral relationship and is taking a hands-on approach to addressing those challenges. Clearly, he has already been in close communication with Torrijos on both of PMG's most recent efforts to provoke not only the U.S., but also the Torrijos Administration. Lewis' aggressive engagement to secure Torrijos' commitment to veto any challenge to Salas-Becker, a cornerstone of our bilateral counternarcotics cooperation is a strong indication that he does not want any recurrence of a PMG-related debacle that would further damage bilateral ties. EATON