US embassy cable - 05PANAMA352

C O N F I D E N T I A L PANAMA 000352 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN 
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, ETRD, PM, POL CHIEF 
SUBJECT: PANAMA FOREIGN MINISTER'S VIEWS ON THE CANDIDACY 
OF FRANCISCO FLORES FOR OAS SECRETARY GENERAL 
 
REF: STATE 25152 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR LINDA WATT FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
1.  (C) Ambassador met with Foreign Minister Samuel Lewis on 
February 14 to discuss the OAS Secretary General race, per 
reftel instructions.  Bringing Spanish and English versions 
of WHA PA's suggested op-ed article, she explained to Lewis 
that she preferred to deliver the text directly to him rather 
than to try to communicate with him on the issue via 
newspapers.  The Ambassador delineated Flores's strengths and 
qualifications: Flores is a post-conflict, pragmatic, 
business-friendly reformer.  He is an experienced politician 
and a leader of international stature, who is committed to 
poverty alleviation with a social agenda.  All those 
qualities, the Ambassador said, were very much in tune with 
President Torrijos's vision both domestically and 
internationally.  In addition, an OAS Secretary General from 
a small, Central American country could be beneficial to 
Panama's interests.  Ambassador urged Lewis to support 
Flores, adding that she would inform Washington of Panama's 
position.  (Comment: It is just possible, without sounding 
too optimistic, that the shared wish to put the OAS issue 
behind us could nudge the Panamanians toward a decision to 
support Flores.  End Comment.) 
 
2.  (C) Lewis took those points on board and promised to 
discuss them with President Torrijos.  He reiterated in all 
frankness that the GOP had considered that the Flores 
candidacy is not viable.  Panama has been awaiting the 
emergence of a candidate who could attract wider Hemispheric 
support.  (Note: As Embassy has consistently reported.) 
Lewis and Torrijos were non-committal when they met on 
February 11 with Chilean candidate Jose Miguel Insulza in 
Panama.  As an aside, Lewis mentioned that Chile had promised 
to support Panama's aspirations to host the FTAA secretariat, 
only to toss them aside recently in favor of Trinidad, 
reportedly in exchange for Trinidad's support for Insulza. 
Lewis said that he believed the upcoming CARICOM meeting 
would be important in showing momentum towards a consensus. 
 
3.  (SBU) Also per reftel, Ambassador plans on February 16 to 
speak with the Salvadoran Ambassador, when she will return 
from travel, to arrange a joint meeting of CentAm ambassadors 
with Foreign Minister Lewis.  The new Dominican ambassador 
has signaled his willingness to join such a meeting. 
 
WATT