PANAMA: REQUEST FOR COAST GUARD COORDINATES

UNCLAS PANAMA 000345 SIPDIS L/LEI FOR SUSAN TORRES C O R R E C T E D COPY - PARA. CLASSIFICATION MARKINGS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PM PREL SUBJECT: PANAMA: REQUEST FOR COAST GUARD COORDINATES -------------- Summary and Action Request -------------- ¶1. (U) The Embassy received a diplmatic note from the Panamanian MFA on April 14, 2009, requesting that the Embassy send the search coordinates used by the USCG during a search and rescue operation from November 29-30, 2008, following a helicopter flying off a the Venezuelan flagged tuna boat F/V Don Francisco crashed in international waters. Carlos Julio Alvarado is presumed to have died in that accident, and the MFA's note requests the coordinates on behalf of Mr. Alvarado's mother, Gricelda Alvarado Galindo. This is the third note the MFA has sent to Post on this matter. All previous USG-GOP official communications on this matter have been shared in their entirety with the victim's family ¶2. (U) Action Request: Post requests guidance for response, if appropriate. -------------- Unofficial Translation of Dipnote -------------- ¶3. (U) BEGIN TEXT: UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION REPUBLIC OF PANAMA Ministry of Foreign Relations N/V A.J. No. 950 The Ministry of Foreign Relations - Directorate General of Legal Affairs and Treaties - presents its compliments to the Honorable Embassy of the United States of America, on the occasion of reiterating Note A.J. No. 562 of March 6, 2009, through which the Ministry of Foreign Relations requested information on the Panamaian citizen CARLOS JULIO ALVARADO, who disappeared on November 29, 2008, near Punta Burica, Chiriqui Province, while flying a helicopter, brand Robinson R22, which was travelling on board the ship Don Francesco. The Ministry of Foreign Relations - Directorate General of Legal Affairs and Treaties - on this issue, would like to inform the Honorable Embassy of the United States of America that throuh Note of March 2, 2009, Mrs. Bricelda Alvarado Galindo, mother of Mr. CARLOS JULIO ALVARADO, requested this Ministry of Foreign Relations to present it good offices in order to obtain the coordinates of the place where the Coast Guard of the United States of America provided assistance to the ship Don Francesco in the search for her son. The Ministry of Foreign Relations - Directorate General of Legal Affairs and Treaties - in view of the above, would like to request the Embassy of the United States of America to provide the above-requested information to use it within the investigations of the case. The Ministry of Foreign Relations - Directorate General of Legal Affairs and Treaties - takes this opportunity to reiterate to the Honorable Embassy of the United States of America, the asurances of its highest consideration. Panama, April 14, 2009 To the Honorable Embassy of the United States of America Panama City. OAE/oae STEPHENSON