PANAMA: CODEL MEEKS MEETS WITH PRESIDENT

UNCLAS PANAMA 000921 SIPDIS SIPDIS NSC PASS TO USTR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL ECON PGOV ETRD ENV SOCI PHUM PM SUBJECT: PANAMA: CODEL MEEKS MEETS WITH PRESIDENT TORRRIJOS; JUNE 2, 2007, PRESIDENTIAL PALACE -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. CODEL Meeks and Panamanian President Martin Torrijos discussed issues that would arise during the U.S. Congress' debate on whether to approve the U.S.-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement (TPA) such as poverty reduction, tax collection, anti-discrimination laws, the Panama-Colombia relationship, equal rights issues, and wild dolphin preservation during their one-hour June 2 meeting at Panama's Presidential Palace. The CODEL Meeks consisted of Representatives Gregory Meeks (D-NY),Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX),Mike Honda (D-CA), and Mike McNulty (D-NY). -------------- Poverty Reduction -------------- ¶2. Responding to Rep. Meeks' concerns about poverty reduction, Torrijos broadly reviewed his poverty reduction strategy. Torrijos commented on his efforts to increase English language training for Panamanian students, the recent approval of money transfers for families living in the most impoverished conditions, trade capacity building in Panama's rural areas to increase subsistence living, and road construction projects throughout the country. Addressing Rep. Meeks' follow up question on providing economic growth opportunities to Panama's rural areas, Torrijos said he had incorporated contractual provisions requiring the hiring of local communities in rural development projects. Torrijos also noted a $50 million program at the municipal level to ensure local participation and increase awareness of economic growth opportunities. -------------- Tax Collection -------------- ¶3. Rep. Meeks asked Torrijos how his government was doing in collecting taxes. Torrijos commented Panama suffered from a 5% budget deficit from insufficient tax collection when he entered office but last year the country had a surplus from his efforts to close tax loopholes. -------------- Anti-Discrimination -------------- ¶4. Torrijos addressed Rep. Jackson-Lee's concerns about anti-discrimination laws by telling her that he launched a presidential commission to focus on ways to eliminate discrimination. Torrijos said lack of opportunity existed in areas outside the city, but they are not a result of discrimination. Rep. Meeks urged Torrijos to appoint an Afro-Panamanian to a public position to increase the Afro-Panamanian profile of the country. Rep. Meeks also encouraged Torrijos to monitor the education standards of minorities. Torrijos said he was sensitive to equal rights issues and that he was already measuring a broad array of child development standards. He also shared that an Afro-Panamanian woman headed Panama's Supreme Court. -------------- Trade Capacity Building -------------- ¶5. Answering Rep. Jackson-Lee's concerns about what steps Panama had taken to promote small and minority-owned businesses, Torrijos noted his trips to the U.S. to promote business interest in bidding on Panama's canal expansion projects. -------------- Panama-Colombia Relationship -------------- ¶6. Responding to Rep. Meeks' inquiry about Panama's relationship with Colombia, Torrijos noted the good relationship between the two countries. Torrijos noted that, in conjunction with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, they created an anti-narcotics taskforce to help combat illegal narcotics trafficking between the two countries. -------------- Protection of Wild Dolphins -------------- ¶7. Answering Rep. Meeks concerns about wild dolphin protection, Torrijos noted his past support of USG efforts to protect whales and reduce the adverse impact the whaling industry has on whale populations. ¶8. This message was not cleared by CODEL Meeks. EATON