GOP Suspends Discussions with Security Firm Global CST

S E C R E T PANAMA 000881 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/12/15 TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC SNAR PINR PM CO SUBJECT: GOP Suspends Discussions with Security Firm Global CST REF: PANAMA 829; PANAMA 879; BOGOTA 3483 STEPHENSON-BROWNFIELD E-MAILS CLASSIFIED BY: GILMOUR, David, DCM, State, Embassy Panama; REASON: 1.4(B),(D) ¶1. (S//NF) Senior GOP leaders have told the Embassy that they have suspended discussions with the Israeli security firm Global CST. Minister of the Presidency Jimmy Papadimitriu told the Ambassador on December 13 that "the issue is closed" and that the GOP would not entertain further consideration of a consulting contract for Global CST. ¶2. (S//NF) In a November 25 meeting with President Martinelli, Vice President Varela and Papadimitriu, Ambassador told of the problems that Global CST had created in Colombia and Peru, and advised them to speak further with Colombian national police director General Oscar Naranjo for details (refs A, B). She emphasized that the presence of Israeli contractors in Panamanian ministries would by necessity restrict USG security cooperation and information sharing. President Martinelli was surprised at the revelations, but said, "We don't want to change friends" and he promised to speak with President Uribe about Global CST. In the weeks following, we began to hear reports that the GOP would drop Global CST, and that was finally confirmed by Papadimitriu on December 13. ¶3. (S//NF) Post appreciates Embassy Bogota's frank assessment of Global CST's performance and its relationships with key GOC officials (refs C, D). The information that Bogota provided helped us formulate a demarche that delivered our desired result. STEPHENSON