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


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Summary
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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).

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Poverty Reduction
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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.

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Tax Collection
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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.

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Anti-Discrimination
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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.

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Trade Capacity Building
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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.

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Panama-Colombia Relationship
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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.

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Protection of Wild Dolphins
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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