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Viewing cable 09PANAMA518, CORRECTED COPY--DIPLOMATIC CLEARANCE REQUESTS DURING

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09PANAMA518 2009-06-29 17:13 2011-05-31 00:00 CONFIDENTIAL Embassy Panama 
VZCZCXYZ0006
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHZP #0518 1801713
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 291713Z JUN 09 (CCY-TEXT-ADX839ABB-45)
FM AMEMBASSY PANAMA
TO RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
INFO RHMFISS/COMSC WASHINGTON DC
RULGPUA/COMUSNAVSO
RHMFISS/CNO WASHINGTON DC
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3537
RHMFISS/COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/DIRJIATF SOUTH
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L PANAMA 000518 
 
C O R R E C T E D  COPY - CLASSIFIED BY LINE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/29/2019 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PM
SUBJECT: --CORRECTED COPY--DIPLOMATIC CLEARANCE REQUESTS DURING 
PANAMA'S POLITICAL TRANISITION 
 
CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR BARBAR J. STEPHENSON FOR REASONS 1.4 
(B) AND (D) 
 
1.  (C)  Panama's next President, Ricardo Martinelli, and his 
cabinet will be sworn in on 01 July 2009.  The current 
government is not approving any diplomatic clearance requests 
for ships or aircraft that occur on or after 01 July. 
Beginning on 01 July a new group of officials will be sworn 
in and will be empowered to approve diplomatic clearance 
requests from that point forward.  Since this new group will 
lack familiarity with the diplomatic clearance request 
process, it is vital to our future relationship with the 
incoming government that all ships, aircraft and personnel 
closely adhere to the rules set forth in the Foreign 
Clearance Guide (FCG).  Current guidance may be viewed at: 
www.fcg.pentagon.mil 
 
2.  (C) Failure to closely adhere to this guidance could 
result in violations of Panama's territorial waters and/or 
airspace, and could in turn cause great damage to our 
relationship with the inbound Martinelli administration. 
Therefore, short-notice requests shall be avoided during this 
transition period (especially between 30 June and 13 July 
2009), except for valid emergencies such as MEDEVACS. 
Furthermore, it is imperative that every ship and aircraft 
bound for Panama confirm with DAO Panama City that it has 
received clearance prior to entering Panamanian waters or 
airspace. 
 
3.  (C) Diplomatic clearance requests submitted to DAO Panama 
City that fail to adhere to the advance notice requirements 
set forth in the FCG will be rejected, unless the request is 
related to a genuine emergency. 
STEPHENSON