US embassy cable - 05PANAMA1781

UNCLAS PANAMA 001781 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR WHA/CEN, 
WHA GREGORY SCHIFFER PANAMA DESK 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E/O 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PM, POL CHIEF 
SUBJECT: DIP NOTE RECEIVED FROM GOP RE: ACCESS TO NATIONAL 
ARCHIVE MATERIAL 
 
 
1.  (U) This is an action request.  See Para 3. 
 
2.  (U) Following is an unofficial translation of a 
Diplomatic Note received by the Panama Embassy's Political 
Section regarding a request for a document from the 
National Archives in Washington, DC. 
 
BEGIN UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION 
 
REPUBLIC OF PANAMA 
Ministry of Foreign Relations 
--------------------------------- 
PANAMA 4, PANAMA 
 
DGPE/DAAO/No.263-05 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Relations - Department of 
Africa, Asia and Oceania presents its compliments to the 
Honorable Embassy of the United States of America on the 
occasion of requesting its good offices to obtain from the 
Department of State of the United States of America 
documentation that is explained below. 
The legation of Panama in Madrid, which was headed by 
Mr. Antonio Burgos, in 1915, a few months before the 
beginning of World War I, received a secret project of 
Treaty allegedly presented by Japan.  In view of this 
action, Minister Burgos traveled to Washington, D.C. to 
hold talks with the Secretary of State to share what was 
received and for the corresponding investigations to be 
carried out. 
At the general archive of the Ministry of Foreign 
Relations there is only a photostatic copy of the presented 
project and a note about what was carried out in 
Washington.  A copy of the project is enclosed. 
The Ministry of Foreign Relations - Department of 
Africa, Asia and Oceania, with the purpose of completing 
the corresponding historic file, will appreciate the 
donation of a copy of the documentation processed by the 
Department of State on this matter. 
The Ministry of Foreign Relations - Department of 
Africa, Asia and Oceania avails itself of the occasion to 
reiterate to the Honorable Embassy of the United States of 
America the assurances of its highest and distinguished 
consideration. 
 
Panama, August 22, 2005 
 
To the Honorable 
EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
Panama City 
 
END UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION 
 
3.  (SBU) Embassy recommends replying to the Foreign 
Ministry to the effect that Panamanian embassy officials in 
Washington are free to search the archives in Washington to 
locate and copy the document.  Embassy requests Department 
to identify the address of the archives building most 
likely to contain said document and to inform Embassy of 
its views on Embassy's recommendation. 
 
ARREAGA