Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 04PANAMA648, U.S.-PANAMA FTA NEGOTIATIONS - THOUGHTS ON TIMING

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #04PANAMA648.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
04PANAMA648 2004-03-19 17:49 2011-05-31 00:00 CONFIDENTIAL Embassy Panama
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PANAMA 000648 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
USTR PLS PASS TO RVARGO AND JWOLFE 
STATE FOR WHA FOR DFISK, DLINDWALL, JWAGNER, JBRIGHAM 
USDOC4332/ITA/MAC/WH/OLAC/WBASTIAN, MGAISFORD 
TREASURY FOR JJENKINS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2014 
TAGS: ETRD PM ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
SUBJECT: U.S.-PANAMA FTA NEGOTIATIONS - THOUGHTS ON TIMING 
AND ISSUES 
 
 
REF: A. BOWEN/GASH TELCON 3/5 
     B. BOWEN/WOLFE TELCON 3/16 
     C. PANAMA 452 
     D. PANAMA 492 
 
 
Classified By: Economic Chief Andrew N. Bowen, for reason 1.5(d) 
 
 
1. (C)  Summary: Minister of Commerce and Industry Joaquin 
Jacome and VM for Trade Romel Adames will be traveling to 
Washington next week for the March 23 TPSC Panama hearing at 
USTR and to press for moving forward expeditiously with FTA 
negotiations.  The upcoming November U.S. elections and the 
political environment regarding FTAs have not been lost on 
them. Both will press for holding a negotiating round or 
meeting in April -- before the May 2 national elections -- 
and concluding the negotiations before the Moscoso 
Administration leaves office on September 1 or shortly 
thereafter.  Their expectations are that the agreement will 
have aspects of both the CAFTA and Singapore FTAs.  Post sees 
no down-side with holding an April negotiating round or 
meeting, schedules permitting.  Presidential candidates 
support an FTA with the United States (three of the four very 
strongly), and we believe they will want discussions to move 
forward provided the winner's representatives have "a place 
at the table"(read: are consulted closely).  The Panamanians 
view the FTA as a vehicle to eliminate uncertainty related to 
unilateral benefits such as CBI, improve market access for 
goods and services (e.g. sugar, banking, and maritime), but 
most importantly, to attract investment (or not lose 
investment to CAFTA).  Showing his talent for one-liners, 
Adames told Econ Chief, this (U.S. investment) will represent 
the return of the U.S. without the military bases.  Both 
Jacome and Adames also argue that the FTA will reinforce 
stability and strengthen democratic forces for the long-term 
in a country where the U.S. still has strategic interests. 
End Summary. 
 
 
2.  (C) During a wide-ranging conversation with ECON Chief, 
on March 8, VM Adames, Panama's Chief Negotiator, shared his 
thoughts on the upcoming bilateral FTA negotiations with the 
United States. (Note: the Panamanians are studying the CAFTA, 
Chile, and Singapore texts.) Like his bosses, President 
Moscoso and Minister Jacome, Adames would like to make as 
much progress as possible on the bilateral before the Moscoso 
Administration leaves office September 1.  He has argued that 
starting the negotiations in April before the May 2 national 
elections would send the right signal that this is a "state 
project rather than a political one (Ref C)." (Comment: While 
this is most likely to gain pre-electoral political 
advantage, we see no down-side with holding a first round or 
meeting prior to May 2.  President Moscoso told Codel Weller 
in February that she would like to see the negotiations 
concluded before leaving office, even if she didn't sign (Ref 
C). Clearly the Panamanians have one eye on the U.S. November 
elections and the expiration in 2005 of TPA.  End Comment.) 
 
 
3. (C) For Adames, the FTA represents a vehicle to lock in 
the status quo or better (CBI, GSP), improve market access 
for Panama in niche areas (e.g., banking, maritime, and 
sugar), and most importantly to attract "good U.S. 
investment."  Adames also expressed concern that investment 
might now be diverted to "CAFTA low wages -- our China", and 
the uncertainty of the EU's counter-drug driven GSP program. 
He said that he has met with representatives from the 
sensitive sectors (rice, dairy, pork, and professional 
services) and forewarned that he will "have to make tough 
decisions."  He noted that Panama exports very little to the 
United States (approximately $301 million in 2003) and that 
Panama must compete in niches -- banking, maritime, sugar, 
etc.  He quipped that Panama may not initially be looking to 
give as much on agriculture since Costa Rica didn't give much 
to the U.S. on services, "only around the edges."  Another 
defensive interest for Panama will be treatment of the Colon 
Free Trade Zone. One area that he believes Panama can be 
forthcoming is government procurement, and coverage of the 
Panama Canal, given the probable decision to move forward 
next year on a multi-billion dollar expansion project. 
 
 
4.  (C) Adames proved very adept at making the larger 
strategic arguments about the importance of this FTA.  For 
Panama he believes that by attracting "good U.S. investment," 
and "consolidating the U.S. way of doing things" the 
agreement will help create greater stability, and strengthen 
democratic forces for the long-term (i.e., mitigate against 
future leftist-populist tendencies).  He declared that this 
would mark "the return of the U.S. without the bases."  With 
an obvious allusion to the Canal and Panama's strategic 
location, he said that if things go bad in some countries in 
the hemisphere "no problem" but "if things go bad here, 
you're affected." 
 
 
5.  (C)  Comment:  The Panamanians have been doing their 
homework and with the assistance of the U.S. law firms Arnold 
and Porter and Sandler,Travis & Rosenberg, appear prepared to 
begin negotiations.  Adames is a strong proponent of this FTA 
and also a strong believer in the benefits of trade 
liberalization.  He obviously believes that if the U.S. can 
accommodate Panama's interest in selected "niche" areas that 
this can be a very high-standard agreement; he also 
recognizes Panama doesn't have much leverage.  With respect 
to the presidential candidates, all three (Torrijos-PRD and 
current front-runner),  Aleman-Arnulfista, and Martinelli - 
CD) strongly support the FTA with the United States.  Endara 
(Solidarity) also supports an FTA; however, he and he and his 
advisors have shown that they may be more sensitive to 
Panama's rural agricultural interests. 
WATT