Cablegate: Panama Respects U.S. Position but Can't Comment On

VZCZCXYZ0024
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHZP #2087 2972008
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 242008Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY PANAMA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9213
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 3307
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC
RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL//J5/J2/POLAD//

UNCLAS PANAMA 002087

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL PTER SMIG OAS PM
SUBJECT: PANAMA RESPECTS U.S. POSITION BUT CAN'T COMMENT ON
OAS DECLARATION

REF: STATE 176810

1. (SBU) Panama cannot comment on Mexico's proposed OAS
declaration on U.S. border security because it has not yet
seen the text, MFA Sub-Director for Exterior Politics
Vladimir Franco told Poloff October 24. However, Franco
stated that Panama understood and respected the sovereign
right of countries, including the United States, to control
the security of their borders. Franco added that Panama
supported the right of the United States to construct a
border wall as long as it remained on U.S. territory, saying
that Panama took the same position on the Israeli separation
barrier.

2. (SBU) Overall, Panama supports "legal, secure, and
orderly" international migration as well as integrated
reforms to U.S. and other countries' immigration policies,
said Franco. He agreed to relay the U.S. position to
Panama's OAS delegation but emphasized that Panama cannot
take a position on the proposed declaration until it has seen
the text.

ARREAGA

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