PANAMA - INDOOR AIR POLLUTION NOT AN ISSUE

UNCLAS PANAMA 000090 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR STATE WHA/CEN TELLO FOR STATE OES/IHA DANO WILUSZ E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID EPA PM SENV TBIO SUBJECT: PANAMA - INDOOR AIR POLLUTION NOT AN ISSUE REF: STATE 192919 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY. On January 17, 2006 EconOff met with Panama's National Environmental Agency's (ANAM) Director of National Environmental Quality, Natalia Jones and ANAM's Director of International Cooperation, Zoila Aqueno, to discuss Panama's views on indoor air pollution (IAP). Jones and Aqueno told EconOff that IAP was not an issue in Panama nor a matter of great concern for the GoP. Jones and Aqueno said Panama was not a member of the Partnership for Clean Indoor Air (PCIA), but they are interested in learning more about PCIA. END SUMMARY. -------------- IAP Not An Issue for GoP -------------- ¶2. (U) On January 17, 2006, EconOff met with ANAM's Jones and Aqueno to discuss Panama's views on IAP. After EconOff discussed Reftel talking points, Jones and Aqueno said that IAP was not an issue in Panama nor a matter of great concern for the GoP. Jones and Aqueno said that among indigenous people, cooking is typically done outside and that most dwellings are open with partial or no walls. They said urban residents typically use propane gas because it is plentiful and cheap. They believe there is no other GoP agency nor NGO working on IAP-related issues in Panama. Jones told EconOff that ANAM has been working on air quality issues in office buildings and industrial facilities, which they believe is of greater concern. ¶3. (U) Panama is not a member of PCIA. ANAM, however, is interested in receiving as much technical assistance as possible in dealing with air quality issues. Accordingly, Jones and Aqueno said they would be interested in learning more about PCIA and Panama's possible involvement. Eaton