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C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 100946 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/21/2018 
TAGS: OVIP ETRD PREL PGOV CFED PBTS RS GG KV BL PM
SUBJECT: SECRETARY RICE'S SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 CONVERSATION 
WITH PANAMANIAN PRESIDENT MARTIN TORRIJOS 
 
Classified By: WHA A/S Shannon for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1.  (U) September 16, 2008; 9:30-10:00 a.m.; Washington, DC, 
USA. 
 
¶2.  (U) Participants: 
 
U.S. 
The Secretary 
Assistant Secretary Tom Shannon 
Assistant Secretary Sean McCormack 
Ambassador Barbara Stephenson 
Skye Justice (WHA Notetaker) 
 
Panama 
President Martin Torrijos 
First Vice President and Foreign Minister Samuel Lewis Navarro 
Ambassador Federico Humbert 
Luis Melo (President's Notetaker) 
 
¶3.  (C) SUMMARY: Secretary Rice and Panamanian President 
Martin Torrijos discussed the pending Congressional approval 
of the U.S.-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement (TPA), Bolivia, 
recognition of Kosovo and Georgia's breakaway regions, 
counternarcotics and security cooperation, and proposed a 
cooperative educational initiative.  Both commented on the 
excellent state of U.S.-Panama relations, and the Secretary 
expressed U.S. commitment to Congressional approval of the 
TPA, but stressed that agreements be submitted to Congress in 
the order they were signed.  Torrijos agreed only to 
coordinate policy on Kosovo and Georgia at the UN Security 
Council.  End Summary. 
 
US COMMITTED TO PANAMA TPA 
-------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (C) President Torrijos began the meeting with a 
description of his efforts to promote commercial ties between 
the United States and Panama and to advocate for 
Congressional approval of the U.S.-Panama TPA, adding that he 
had been well-received on Capitol Hill.  The Secretary 
assured Torrijos the Administration remains committed to the 
ratification of the TPA, while noting that the Congressional 
calendar is complicated and the order of submitting 
agreements is important to ensure positive relations with all 
our trading partners.  Torrijos expressed hope that if there 
is a trade vote, Panama would not be forgotten, and the 
Secretary responded that when there is a vote, Panama will be 
moved forward. 
 
EVO MORALES, A ONE-MAN WRECKING BALL 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶5.  (C) Responding to Torrijos' statement that U.S.-Panama 
cooperation had been excellent in a not-so-boring 
neighborhood, the Secretary stated that we look forward to 
continued good relations with Panama, with Central America, 
and with all our neighbors.  To the south, we have done 
everything we can to reach out to sustain relations with 
Bolivia; they have not reciprocated.  The current situation 
cannot continue.  The Secretary stated that Morales needs to 
act to stop confrontation, adding that Morales cannot govern 
without his governors.  We don't want to see violence or 
challenges to territorial integrity in the hemisphere, but 
Morales has done all the wrong things.  Comparing Morales to 
a one-man wrecking ball in a fragile place, she noted her 
hope that regional leaders would send him a strong message 
that the status quo must change. 
 
 
NO PROMISES ON KOSOVO AND GEORGIA 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (C) The Secretary encouraged Panama to recognize Kosovo, 
and noted that both Kosovo and Georgia needed to be brought 
closer to other European nations.  She expressed great 
concern that Russia did not appreciate the gravity of the 
mistake it had made in invading Georgia, or of its bigger 
mistake of recognizing South Ossetia and Abkhazia.  She 
asserted that there is no state of South Ossetia and no state 
of Abkhazia, and that other states cannot be allowed to treat 
the two breakaway regions as anything other than Georgian 
territory.  She added that the United States considers such 
recognition a real challenge to our national security, and to 
world order.  Torrijos responded only that Panama would 
coordinate with the United States on these issues in the UN 
Security Council. 
 
PLANS FOR PATHWAYS MEETING 
-------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (C) President Torrijos asked about plans for the 
September 24 meeting of free trade partners in New York, and 
the Secretary responded that President Bush believes this is 
an excellent way to demonstrate the importance of free trade 
and coordinate more closely with our trade partners.  She 
clarified that the intent of the meeting is not to create a 
closed club or formal organization, but rather to see how 
countries with free trade agreements can use them to grow 
their economies and promote opportunity.  Torrijos added that 
he hoped President Bush and this group could outline a path 
for the next U.S. administration to move forward on free 
trade issues.  Assistant Secretary Shannon suggested 
statements from the September 24 leaders meeting on the need 
to ratify the free trade agreements with Colombia and Panama 
would help the Administration demonstrate international 
concern to Congress.  Torrijos responded that he would work 
with the group to draft a joint letter to this effect to 
Congressional leaders. 
 
DEVELOPING ACADEMIC EXCHANGE PROGRAMS 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Torrijos suggested that a good way to enhance 
long-term relations between our countries was to focus on 
educational exchange programs.  He noted that, while Panama 
has over 200 doctoral students abroad, many do not study in 
the United States because they lack English skills.  Vice 
President Samuel Lewis noted that this was an area where he 
hoped Panama and the United States could cooperate, and the 
Secretary expressed her support for educational initiatives 
as both an academic and as Secretary of State.  She proposed 
that she and Lewis sign a document, perhaps during UNGA, 
acknowledging our intent to cooperate on such an initiative. 
 
MERIDA A GOOD STEP TOWARD IMPROVING SECURITY 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) Torrijos praised our bilateral counternarcotics 
coordination, and the Secretary noted it was important to 
continue actively addressing narcotics trafficking.  Torrijos 
noted that the Panamanian people are deeply concerned about 
insecurity and organized crime.  He added that while all 
Central American countries would like increased funding via 
the Merida Initiative, it will make a good step toward 
improving security, and demonstrates that the United States 
listens to its Latin American neighbors' security concerns. 
 
RICE