PANAMA: TORRIJOS URGES TAKING BILATERAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L PANAMA 000661 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/06/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON ETRD EWWT MASS SNAR PTER MARR MOPS, PBTS, PM SUBJECT: PANAMA: TORRIJOS URGES TAKING BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP TO NEXT LEVEL Classified By: AMBASSADOR BARBARA J. STEPHENSON. REASONS: 1.4 (B) AND (D) -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) Panamanian President Martin Torrijos urged Ambassador to work with Panama to strive to take the U.S.-bilateral relationship to the next level by undertaking to address shared security concerns, during the Ambassador's presentation of credentials to Torrijos on August 6. After noting Panama's positive achievements during his tenure in restoring fiscal responsibility, continuing to foster a vibrant economy, and making in-roads to address socio-economic inequality, Torrijos turned to the gathering storm clouds on the horizon: FARC activity in Panama's Darien province. He noted that as Colombia continued its successes in combating the FARC, inevitably the FARC would become more active in Panama. "If left unaddresssed, they (the FARC) will bring drugs, arms and crime to Panama," the president explained. "I don't want to have what happened in Ecuador happen in Panama." Torrijos then reviewed GOP efforts to deal with the latest FARC incursion into Panama and ended by reaching out to the Ambassador for greater engagement on a range of issues -- from trade and other economic issues (such as canal expansion) to security -- in order to, as he put it, "take the relationship to the next level." The normally reserved Torrijos was warm, cordial and engaging during his first encounter with Ambassador. No sooner had Ambassador returned to the Embassy, than First VP and FM Samuel Lewis was on the phone seeking to get together on August 8 with his top advisor and Minister of Government and Justice Daniel Delgado to build on the positive meeting with Torrijos. -------------- Welcome Back -------------- ¶2. (C) After receiving Ambassador's credentials, Torrijos warmly welcomed Ambassador back to Panama. (Note: Ambassador served her first tour in Panama in the mid-1980s.) Proud of Panama's economic achievements under his tenure, Torrijos told Ambassador that the secret to Panama's success story was first putting its fiscal house in order, then reforming the social security system (Caja de Seguridad Social) to put it on a more firm and solvent basis, and finally securing approval via referendum to ensure the continued vitality of the Panama Canal by launching the canal expansion project. Torrijos noted that canal expansion would never have been viable with fiscal and social security reform. In turn, the canal expansion project would enable the Panama Canal to handle larger ships and greater traffic thereby ensuring that the canal would remain a powerful driver of Panama's economy. "When they come out, the new statistics will show that Panama has made significant in-roads in combating socio-economic inequality," Torrijos asserted. He described addressing socio-economic inequality by ensuring greater access to opportunity for all Panamanians was "key" to ensuring the continued stability of Panama's democracy. -------------- --- The Next Challenge: Addressing Security Concerns -------------- --- ¶3. (C) Having covered Panama's economic success story, Torrijos turned to Panama's new challenges on the security front. He noted that on August 8 a FARC incursion had reached about 25 miles into Panama's Darien province where FARC elements sacked a small grocery story. "As Colombia takes additional measures against the FARC," Torrijos said, "the group's activities in Panama will increase." Torrijos explained that he did not want what happened in Ecuador -- where a growing FARC presence brought in drugs, arms, and increased illegal activity -- to take place in Panama. He then described in some detail the steps Panama was taking -- acquiring helicopters to be stationed in the Darien, for example -- to develop the capacity to defend itself against this threat, refraining in this his first meeting with Ambassador from explicitly asking for additional U.S. assistance. He said that intelligence sharing with the U.S. had been key to Panama's ability to address the FARC threat. Furthermore, close cooperation with U.S. law enforcement was the primary reason Panamanian drug seizures were up. Torrijos expressed his desire to do more and to cooperate extensively to meet this mutual threat. -------------- Threading the Needle on Militarization -------------- ¶4. (C) "I am also trying to avoid fueling the specious anti-militarization arguments against security reform," the President told Ambassador. The proposed reforms -- creation of a civilian intelligence service (SENIS),the joining of the National Maritime (SMN) and Air (SAN) Services into National Aero-Naval Service (SENAN),establishing a National Frontier Service (SENAFRONT) independent from PNP, and permitting a uniformed officer to head the PNP -- were much needed to give Panama the tools it needed to better confront today's security challenges. The trick, Torrijos said, would be pushing through security reforms without sparking a battle that turned these reforms into a political litmus test as to whether or not Panama was "re-militarizing." Torrijos said that he would like to send First VP and FM Samuel Lewis to brief Ambassador on Panama's security reform proposals. (Indeed, no sooner had Ambassador returned to the Embassy than Lewis reached out to seek an August 8 meeting with Ambassador.) -------------- Handling PMG's Last Days -------------- ¶5. (C) National Assembly President Pedro Miguel Gonzalez, who is under U.S. federal indictment in connection with the 1992 murder of a U.S. serviceman, would deliver his last speech on September 1 when his successor, expected to be Raul Rodriguez, was inducted, Torrijos noted. Lewis commented that he could very well lash out at cooperation with the U.S., for example possibly taking aim at the bilateral Salas-Becker maritime cooperation agreement, complain about the annual PANAMAX multi-lateral exercise that will have just ended, and otherwise provide fuel to the "militarization" debate. Torrijos concurred with Ambassador's view that visits by high-visibility U.S. military and security/law enforcement leaders should be forestalled until late September/early October. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶6. (C) Normally reserved, Torrijos was more animated and talkative in this credential presentation ceremony than he normally is, Chief of Protocol Flavio Mendez commented to POLCOUNS. Torrijos comprehensive tour d'horizon and special emphasis on Panama's security challenges provided valuable insights into Torrijos perceptions of Panama's achievements during his tenure and of the key challenges that lay ahead. Ambassador will host a lunch for First VP and FM Samuel Lewis and Minister of Government and Justice Daniel Delgado to receive a briefing from them on Panama's proposed security reforms; Post will report SEPTEL. STEPHENSON