O 201405Z DEC 89
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO SPECIAL EMBASSY PROGRAM NIACT IMMEDIATE
AMCONSUL LENINGARD NIACT IMMEDIATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 403378 
 
FOR THE AMBASSADOR 
 
FOLLOWING STATE 403378 DTD DEC 20 SENT ACTION ALDAC 
BEING REPEATED FOR YOUR ACTION: 
 
FOR THE AMBASSADOR 
 
NOTE BY DO/CC:  DOWNGRADED REFTEL FROM SECRET TO CONFIDENTIAL 
PER STATE 403652 
 
E.O. 12356:  DECL:OADR 
TAGS: PREL MARR PM
SUBJECT:  TFPM02: PANAMA:  REQUEST FOR IMMEDIATE DEMARCHE 
 
¶1.  (C)  THIS CABLE IS INFO FOR MEXICO CITY  CARACAS, 
SAN JOSE, KINGSTON, BUENOS AIRES, BOGOTA, TOKYO, SAN 
SALVADOR, LIMA, LA PAZ, BRASILIA, QUITO, MADRID, LONDON, 
PARIS, OTTAWA, BONN, MOSCOW, CANBERRA, AND USUN. 

FOR ALL INFO ADDRESSEES EXCEPT MOSCOW:  THE PRESIDENT, 
VICE PRESIDENT OR SECRETARY OF STATE ARE MAKING EFFORTS 
TO CONTACT THE PRIME MINISTER OR PRESIDENT OF YOUR HOST 
COUNTRY DIRECTLY (IN CASE OF UN, SECRETARY WILL NOTIFY 
PEREZ DE CUELLAR).  INFORMATION IS PROVIDED FYI ONLY. 

FOR MOSCOW ONLY:  POST WILL RECEIVE SEPTEL FOR ACTION; 
THIS CABLE IS FOR INFO ONLY. 

¶2.  (U)  THIS CABLE IS AN IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUEST FOR 
ALL OTHER DIPLOMATIC POSTS WORLDWIDE.  SEE PARAGRAPHS 
3,4, POST SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS FOLLOW PARAGRAPHS 5 AND 
¶6. 

AMBASSADOR IS INSTRUCTED TO DELIVER FOLLOWING MESSAGE TO 
THE HIGHEST AVAILABLE LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT. 

¶3.  (U)  THE FOLLOWING WHITE HOUSE STATEMENT WAS ISSUED 
AT 0140 HOURS DECEMBER 20: 

BEGIN TEXT: 

THE PRESIDENT DIRECTED UNITED STATES FORCES TO 
EXECUTE AT 1:00 AM THIS MORNING PRE-PLANNED MISSIONS IN 
PANAMA TO PROTECT AMERICAN LIVES, RESTORE THE DEMOCRATIC 
PROCESS, PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY OF THE PANAMA CANAL 
TREATIES, AND APPREHEND MANUEL NORIEGA. 

THE SITUATION IN PANAMA UNDER NORIEGA HAS REACHED A 
CRISIS.  DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS HAVE BEEN THWARTED, 
AMERICAN LIVES HAVE BEEN ENDANGERED.  THE INTEGRITY OF 
THE PANAMA CANAL TREATIES IS AT RISK.  NORIEGA IS UNDER 
INDICTMENT FOR DRUG-RELATED CHARGES.  THE PRESIDENT HAS 
MADE EVERY EFFORT PEACEFULLY TO RESOLVE THE SITUATION 
THROUGH NEGOTIATIONS UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE 
ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES AND LATIN AMERICAN 
LEADERS.  NORIEGA HAS REJECTED ALL THESE EFFORTS. 

LAST FRIDAY, NORIEGA DECLARED A STATE OF WAR WITH 
THE UNITED STATES.  THE NEXT DAY THE PDF SHOT TO DEATH 
AN UNARMED AMERICAN SERVICEMAN, WOUNDED ANOTHER, SEIZED 
AND BEAT ANOTHER SERVICEMAN AND SEXUALLY THREATENED HIS 
WIFE.  UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, THE PRESIDENT DECIDED 
HE MUST ACT TO PREVENT FURTHER VIOLENCE.  OUR TROOPS 
WILL USE ONLY THE FORCE NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE THE 
OBJECTIVES AND WILL BE WITHDRAWN AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. 

AT APPROXIMATELY MIDNIGHT TONIGHT, THE 
DEMOCRATICALLY-ELECTED LEADERS OF PANAMA--PRESIDENT 
ENDARA AND VICE PRESIDENTS ARIAS CALDERON AND FORD--WERE 
SWORN IN AND ASSUMED THEIR RIGHTFUL POSITIONS.  THEY 
WELCOME AND SUPPORT OUR ACTIONS AND HAVE STATED THEIR 
INTENTION TO INSTITUTE A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT 
IMMEDIATELY.  THE UNITED STATES HAS RECOGNIZED THAT 
GOVERNMENT, IS RESTORING NORMAL RELATIONS, AND WILL 
COOPERATE TO REBUILD A FREE AND PROSPEROUS PANAMA.  END 
TEXT. 

¶4.  (C)  YOU SHOULD ALSO MAKE THE FOLLOWING POINTS: 

--  THE PRESIDENT TOOK THIS ACTION ONLY AFTER 
EXHAUSTING EVERY AVAILABLE DIPLOMATIC AND MULTI-LATERAL 
MEANS TO RESOLVE THIS CRISIS. 

--  IN RECENT DAYS, THE CRISIS HAS GROWN FAR MORE 
DANGEROUS.  NORIEGA HAS ACTED INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE, 
UNPREDICTABLE, AND DANGEROUS. 

--  THE U.S. HAD INCREASING FEAR OF NEW  MORE 
THREATENING ACTS OF VIOLENCE DIRECTED AGAINST AMERICANS. 

--  THE U.S. WILL ONLY USE FORCE AS REQUIRED TO 
ARREST NORIEGA AND RESTRAIN THE PDF FROM COMING TO HIS 
RESCUE.  THE U.S. HOPES TO WITHDRAW ITS FORCES AS 
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. 

--  THE U.S. CONSULTED WITH THE LEADERS OF THE 
PANAMANIAN OPPOSITION ELECTED IN THE MAY 7TH ELECTIONS 
AND THEY APPROVED OF THIS ACTION.  THEY HAVE BEEN SWORN 
IN AND HAVE ANNOUNCED THEY WILL BE FORMING A GOVERNMENT 
IMMEDIATELY.  THE U.S. HAS RECOGNIZED THIS GOVERNMENT. 

--  THESE LEADERS WERE UNIVERSALLY RECOGNIZED BY THE 
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, INCLUDING OBSERVERS FROM DOZENS 
OF NATIONS, AS THE RIGHTFUL VICTORS IN THE PANAMANIAN 
ELECTIONS.  THEY WARRANT RECOGNITION BY HOST GOVERNMENT 
AND THE U.S. URGES HOST GOVERNMENT TO EXTEND SUCH 
RECOGNITION AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.  THIS WILL IN ITSELF 
HELP STABILIZE THE SITUATION, REDUCE THE PROSPECTS FOR 
ADDITIONAL VIOLENCE, AND PERMIT THE U.S. TO WITHDRAW ITS 
FORCES QUICKLY. 

--  THE U.S. IS FULLY COMMITTED TO UPHOLDING THE 
PANAMA CANAL TREATIES.  INDEED, ONE ADDITIONAL REASON 
THE PRESIDENT HAD TO ACT WAS TO SAFEGUARD THE CANAL AND 
UPHOLD THE INTEGRITY OF THE TREATIES. 

--  THE PRESIDENT TOOK THIS ACTION ONLY AS A LAST 
RESORT.  HE DID SO FOR 4 REASONS: 

¶I. TO PROTECT AMERICAN LIVES; 
II. TO DEFEND DEMOCRACY; 
III. TO ARREST AN INDICTED DRUG TRAFFICKER; AND 
IV. TO DEFEND THE INTEGRITY OF THE PANAMA CANAL TREATIES. 

--  WE HOPE YOU WILL UNDERSTAND AND SUPPORT THIS 
ACTION.  IT IS IMPORTANT, IN PARTICULAR, THAT THE 
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY RALLY AROUND THE NEW DEMOCRATIC 
GOVERNMENT OF PANAMA, JUST AS IT DID AROUND ENDARA, 
ARIAS CALDERON, AND FORD WHEN THEY WERE ATTACKED AND 
BRUTALIZED FOLLOWING THE MAY 7 ELECTIONS. 

--  THE U.S. INTENDS TO HELP THE NEW GOVERNMENT 
RESTORE PANAMA'S ECONOMY.  YOUR SUPPORT WOULD BE 
IMPORTANT AND WELCOME IN THIS EFFORT. 

--  U.S. WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP YOU INFORMED AS 
EVENTS DEVELOP. 

¶5.  FOR NICARAGUA AND CUBA: 

THE SECURITY OF YOUR DIPLOMATIC MISSION IN PANAMA IS 
NOT THREATENED IN ANY WAY.  THE U.S. HAS NO INTENTION TO 
ENLARGE THIS ACTION BEYOND PANAMA AND WE EXPECT YOUR 
GOVERNMENT TO ACT ACCORDINGLY. 

¶6.  FOR NICARAGUA ONLY: 

THE U.S. REMAINS COMMITTED TO THE ESQUIPULAS, TESORO 
BEACH, AND TELA ACCORDS AND TO RESPECT THE RESULTS OF A 
FREE AND FAIR ELECTION IN NICARAGUA NO MATTER WHO WINS. 
THIS ACTION IN PANAMA SHOULD NOT DIVERT EITHER OF OUR 
NATIONS FROM PURSUING A DIPLOMATIC AND POLITICAL 
RESOLUTION TO THE CONFLICTS IN CENTRAL AMERICA. BAKER 
UNQTE 
 
 
BAKER