US embassy cable - 04PANAMA652

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PANAMA 000652 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR PM/RSAT BLEE, L/PM MCOFFEE AND L/T DCOOK AND 
FHOLLERAN 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MASS, MARR, PREL, PM, LABOR, HUMAN RIGHTS,POLMIL 
SUBJECT: MILITARY GRANT ASSISTANCE: US-PANAMA EXCHANGE OF 
NOTES 
 
REF: A. MCOFFEE/TSTEERS-GONZALEZ 3/17 TELCON 
     B. STATE 56959 
 
 
1. The following US diplomatic note no. 325, dated March 17, 
2004, was presented by Embassy to the GOP (text per ref B 
with changes per ref A).  Begin text: 
 
 
No. 325 
 
 
The Embassy of the United States of America presents 
its compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Relations of the 
Republic of Panama and, referring to an Agreement done by 
exchange of notes on March 26 and May 23, 1962, at Panama, 
concerning the furnishing of defense articles and services to 
Panama for the purpose of contributing to its internal 
security and an Agreement done by exchange of notes on May 20 
and December 6, 1974, at Panama, concerning payment to the 
United States of net proceeds from the sale of defense 
articles furnished on a grant basis, proposes that these 
agreements be amended. 
 
 
The 1962 Agreement concerning the furnishing of defense 
articles and services to Panama for the purpose of 
contributing to its internal security would be amended by 
inserting ", related training" after "defense articles," 
wherever mentioned. 
 
 
The 1974 Agreement concerning payment to the United 
States of net proceeds from the sale of defense articles 
furnished on a grant basis would be amended by replacing 
"under the Military Assistance Program of" with "from" in the 
third paragraph of the note. 
 
 
If this proposal is acceptable to the Government of the 
Republic of Panama, the Embassy proposes that this note and 
the Ministry's affirmative note in reply shall constitute an 
agreement between the two Governments which shall enter into 
force on the date of the Ministry's reply. 
 
 
The Embassy of the United States of America avails 
itself of this opportunity to renew to the Ministry of 
Foreign Relations of the Republic of Panama the assurances of 
its highest consideration. 
 
 
Embassy of the United States of America, 
Panama, March 17, 2004. 
 
 
End text. 
 
 
2. The following Panamanian diplomatic note no. DT/088, dated 
March 19, 2004, was presented by the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs (MFA) to Embassy.  Unofficial translation: 
 
 
DT/088 
 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Relations of the Republic of Panama 
presents it compliments to the Honorable Embassy of the United 
States of America and has the honor to acknowledge receipt of 
its Note No. 325, dated March 17, 2004, which reads as 
follows: 
 
 
"The Embassy of the United States of America presents 
its compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Relations of the 
Republic of Panama and, referring to an Agreement done by 
exchange of notes on March 26 and May 23, 1962, at Panama, 
concerning the furnishing of defense articles and services to 
Panama for the purpose of contributing to its internal 
security and an Agreement done by exchange of notes on May 20 
and December 6, 1974, at Panama, concerning payment to the 
United States of net proceeds from the sale of defense 
articles furnished on a grant basis, proposes that these 
agreements be amended. 
 
 
The 1962 Agreement concerning the furnishing of defense 
articles and services to Panama for the purpose of 
contributing to its internal security would be amended by 
inserting ", related training" after "defense articles," 
wherever mentioned. 
 
 
The 1974 Agreement concerning payment to the United 
States of net proceeds from the sale of defense articles 
furnished on a grant basis would be amended by replacing 
"under the Military Assistance Program of" with "from" in the 
third paragraph of the note. 
 
 
If this proposal is acceptable to the Government of the 
Republic of Panama, the Embassy proposes that this note and 
the Ministry's affirmative note in reply shall constitute an 
agreement between the two Governments which shall enter into 
force on the date of the Ministry's reply. 
 
 
The Embassy of the United States of America avails 
itself of this opportunity to renew to the Ministry of 
Foreign Relations of the Republic of Panama the assurances of 
its highest consideration." 
 
 
Regarding the same, the Ministry of Foreign Relations of the 
Government of the Republic of Panama has the honor to confirm 
to the Honorable Embassy of the United States of America that 
the above proposal is acceptable to the Government of the 
Republic of Panama and that the Honorable Embassy's Note and 
this Note shall constitute an agreement between the two 
Governments which shall enter into force on the date of 
this Note. 
 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Relations avails itself of this 
opportunity 
renew to the Honorable Embassy of the United States of America 
the assurances of its highest consideration. 
 
 
Panama, March 19, 2004. 
 
 
End unofficial translation. 
 
 
3. Per ref B, the original MFA note together with a certified 
copy of Embassy's note has been pouched to L/T, attention 
Daphne Cook or Frank Holleran, unclassified registry no. 
6168004.  Copies have been faxed to L/PM Mike Coffee and 
PM/RSAT Berneta Lee at the numbers provided. 
 
 
 
 
WATT