US embassy cable - 04PANAMA345

UNCLAS PANAMA 000345 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PARM, KNNP, PREL, PM, POLITICS & FOREIGN POLICY 
SUBJECT: PANAMA READY TO FOLLOW-UP ON IAEA CODE OF CONDUCT 
ON RADIOACTIVE SOURCES 
 
 
REF: STATE 22020 
 
 
1. (SBU) On February 9, 2004, Embassy delivered diplomatic 
note No. 162 containing reftel letter from Secretary Powell 
to Panama's Minister of Foreign Affairs Harmodio Arias.  MFA 
Director General for International Organizations and 
Conferences Rodolfo Aleman Zubieta advised Poloff that same 
day that he is "100 percent in agreement with preventing 
unfortunate incidents from happening."  On February 12, 
Aleman added that Panamanian Foreign Minister Harmodio Arias 
agrees with the USG approach.  Aleman told Poloff to let him 
know how the GOP can work with the USG in the IAEA. 
 
 
2. (SBU) On February 6, 2004, Poloff delivered reftel 
demarche, talking points, and nonpaper to Aleman.  On 
February 5, Econoff delivered reftel talking points to 
Ministry of Health Deputy Director for International Affairs 
Dr. Claudia Guerrero and Social Security Fund Deputy Director 
of Radiology Dr. Elois Gibbs.  Guerrero and Gibbs noted the 
importance of better control systems for radioactive sources 
and indicated the GOP's willingness to work closely with the 
USG and IAEA on the issue. 
 
 
WATT