BACKGROUND ON THE DECISION OF GENERAL OMAR TORRIJOS HERRERA TO RECALL PANAMANIAN CANAL TREATY NEGOTIATIONS FROM WASHINGTON FOR CONSULTATIONS

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06888270
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: March 9, 2023
• Document Release Date: September 17, 2021
• Case Number: F-2020-01126
• Publication Date: June 2, 1977

Approved for Release: 2021/09/17 C06888270
COUNTRY PANAMA
DOI
SUBJECT
ACO
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WARNING NOTICE
SENSITIVE INTELLIGENCE SOURCES AND METHODS INVOLVED
� PRIORITY
IN -300986
PAGE 1 OF 7PAGES
Ckeeiebbel by sitrd leporierig (Miclec. Exempt tram r rut Oeclustification Schedule of E.0 11652 EA�,,,W;On
Ccelloberl n impessibl. lo Determine Dote of Aulcoeutic Declossllicotion
FURTHER DISSEMINATION AND USE OF THIS INFORMATION SUBJECT TO
CONTROLS STATED AT BEGINNING AND END OF REPORT.
THIS IS AN INFORMATION REPORT. NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE
CITE
THIS DOCUMENT IS NOT TO BE REPRODUCED
DIST 2 JUNE 1977
REPORT CLASS S EGR E T/WARNING NOTICE - SENSITIVE INTELLIGENCE SOURCES
AND METHODS INVOLVED--NOT RELEASABLE TO FOREIGN NATIONALS�NOT
RELEASABLE TO CONTRACTORS OR CONTRACTOR/CONSULTANTS�DISSEMINATION
AND EXTRACTION OF INFORMATION CONTROLLED BY ORIGINATOR.
THIS DOCUMENT WELL �
CIA j C.. .
!TED EV:LPT
BACKGROUND ON THE DECISION OF GENERAL OMAR TORRIJOS
HERRERA TO RECALL PANAMANIAN CANAL TREATY NEGOTIATORS
FROM WASHINGTON FOR CONSULTATIONS
S Um m4,:i Y : E NEP A L 'OMAR TORRIJOS H.ER RERA C EC I DEC
TO RECALL HiS CANAL TREATY NEGOTIATING TEAM FROM wASi4I NG TON
FOR FI,RTHER CONSULTATIONS AFTER SOME PANAMANIAN .GOVERNHENT
OFFICIALS 08,JECTED TO CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE PRELIMINARY
ACRE EH EN TS REACHED DURING THE cLRR EN T TALKS. TOR; !JCS .;^ AS :EC.
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IN 300986
- 'SENSITIVE INTELIIGE'VCiE'SNIGR iCLSTifiNti-'4E"THODS INVOLVED PAGE 2 OF 7 PAGES
NOTICE .�.
SECRET
�
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FURTHER DISSEMINATION AND USE OF THIS INFORMATION SUBJECT TO
CONTROLS STATED AT BEGINNING AND END OF REPORT.
THIS DOCUMENT IS NOT TO BE REPRODUCED
NOT TO COMMENT ON.�,T E.'.STATUS'.,OFThE NEGOTIATIONS DURING A SPEECH
� .
HE IS SCHEDuLED.T6 MiKE,Df:PANAA ON �.5 JUNE, INSTEAD, THE
-
PA NA XA N I AN F DR GN m IN IS TER KILL G IV E A BRIEF SU Hm AR Y OF THE
NEGOTI AT IONS, EXPRESSING SATISFACTION WITH OVERALL PROGRESS OF
THE CURRENT ROUND OF TALKS. END SUMmARY .
1 . T HE EC IS ION BY GENERAL 0 mA RTC:1'RA IJOS HE RR ER A,
CHIEF OF 3OVERNmENT, TO RECALL THE PANAMANIAN NEGOTIATING TE41-4
FROM WASHINGTON CAME AS A. RESULT OF A DIVERGENCE OF OPINION BY
PANAMANIAN GOVERNMENT- OFFI CI AL:SOf,i CERTAIN ASPECTS OF PREL IMINARy
AGREEMENTS REACHED IN WASHINGTON DURING THE CURRENT ROUND OF
TALKS.
COMMENT: THERE IS NO INDICATION AT PRESENT THAT
T oHR I JOS IS DISPLEASED WITH OVERALL PROGRESS OF THE NEGOTIATIONS,
-
SENIOR FOREIGN tl IN ISTR Y OFFICIALS CHAR ACTERI EE T RECESS AS A
"PAUSE" RATHER THAN A "BREAK OFF" OF THE TALKS,)
2. EVENTS WHICH LED TORRIJOS TO RECALL THE PANAMANIAN
NEU TI ATURS WERE TWO MEETINGS HELD IN PANAMA CITY ON 28 AND 30
MAY, DURING WHICH TREATY NEGOTIATORS CARLOS LOPEZ GUEVARA
AND DIOGENES DE LA R 0 S A PRESENTED TO HIGH GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS LOCUMENTS CyNTA1NI NG AD REFERENDUM AGREEMENTS REACHED
ON THE TREATY ISSUES OF "NEUTRAL IT Y," THE CANAL ENTITY, AND ENTITY
SECRET
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WARNING NOTICE
SENSITIVE INTELLICFNCE SOURCES AND METHODS INVOLVED PAGE OF7 PAGES
3
SECRET FURTHER DISSEMINATION AND USE OF THIS INFORMATION SUBJECT TO
�
classilleattogs
CONTROLS STATED AT BEGINNING AND END OF REPORT.
THIS DOCUMENT IS NOT TO BE REPRODUCED
EmPL (YEE'S. PRESENT AT THE MEETINGS WERE VICE PRES IDET GF-RARDLI
GONZ A. L E E VERNAZA: NICOLAS G ONZ ALE E-
Ev ILL ;
FOREIGN MINISTER': ADCLFO A HUH A DA CORCHO, MINISTER OF LABOR AND
SOCIAL 'EL FAR ; ABRAHAM SA I R 0. MINISTER OF HEALTH; RUBEN DAH 10
HER R EP A, mEMbER OF THE NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE CV�Y. I SS I ON;
EL IG IC S ALAS DOHINGUEE, RECTOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PANAMA ;
AND TR EA TY NEG IA TO RS JAI ME AP I A SC AL DE RG N, DE LA IR OS A
AND LOPE,
3. REGARLING THE "NEUTRALITY" AGREEMENT, A MAJORITY OF
THOSE PRESENT TOOK ISSUE WITH THE CLAUSE THAT GRANTED U.S.
VESSELS PREFERENTIAL RIGHTS ,OF TRANSIT THROUGH TH.= C ANAL , AN:
THE GROUP DECIDED TO RECOMMEND TO TORR IJOS THAT HE INSTRUCT
TuE PA NA MANI AN NEGOTIATORS IN wASH INGT ON TO INSI ST T7 TH IS
CLAUSE BE STRICKEN FROM THE PROTOCOL SINCE IT WAS A DIRECT
CO NT Foal CT ION OF THE CONCEPT OF CANAL NEUTRALITY AND FREE RIGHTS
OF TRANSIT, WITH RESPECT TO OTHER CLAUSES IN THE NEUTRALITY
AGREEMENT, THERE WAS GENERAL�ALTHOUGH NOT COMPLETE�ACCORD
RE 3ARD iNG THEIR ACCEPTABILITY,
4. THE GROUP DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY OF HOD IF YI NC THE
DOCUMENT DRAFTED IN WASHINGTON ON THE STRUCTURE OF THE CANAL
SECRET
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.WARNING NOTICE
SENSITIVE INTELLIcENGE,,,DUROEPAND',BIETHODS INVOLVED
SECRET �
FURTHER'DISSEMINATION AND USE OF THIS INFORMATION SUBJECT TO
� -',.s!CONTROLS - STATED AT BEGINNING AND END OF REPORT.
(ctossifleation;
PAGE4 0F7 PAGES
THIS DOCUMENT IS NOT TO BE REPRODUCED
ENTI TY . SEVEk AL OFFICIALS1 INCLUDING VICE PRE SI DENT GONZALEZ
AND FCREIGN MINISTER GONtALEE-EVILLA, RECOMMENDED TT
�. _ . ',41;,,!;% �
PA NA MA N I AN EF kE SE NT441.10,1e HEift ENTITY EXECUTIVE BOARD SHOULD
4 ",r;e1,-;�� 4.�� �
' � 0
BE VOLUNTARY A N64"NOT' OBLIGATORY.. THOSE FAVORING ThIS APPROACH
POINTED OUT THAT IF PANAMA AT. SOME FUTURE DATE WERE IN
DISAGREEMENT WITH A POSITION TAKEN BY THE U.S. MAJORITY
CONTROLLING THE ENTITY, 00,IA fALCOULD VOLUNTARILY WITHDRAW FROM
THE EXECUTIVE
AHUmADA PO INTED OUT: TH
RO TE TING SUCH A DEcisioN.
EUCW WIT4DRAWAL, REGARDLESS OF THE
ROLMST ANICES. W.OUED:: ENABLE TWE' U.S. TO CHARGE THAT PANAMA WAS
NOT COMPLYING WI TH': THE TERMS OF THE NEW TREATY--A TREATY
NEGOTIATED AND RATIFIED IN GOOD FAITH BY BOTH COUNTRIES. AS
WI Tri THE NEUTRALITY, RECOMMENDATI ONS, THE GROUP DECIDED T 0 FORWARD
1 T S VIEWS TO GENERAL T.ORRI:j0 R HIS CONSIDERATION,
- -; -
5 . ON ThE iSSUE.HiNVOLVYI :ENTITY EMPLOYEES, THE CONSENSUS
,
OF THE GROUP WAS T 'HA T PANAMA Bg0 UL D INSIST ON AN EXPANSION OF
THE FI VE -Y EAR RC TAT! ON PLAN WHICH WOULD APPLY TO U.S.EMPLOYEES
CONTRACT ED E..Y THE ENTI TY.AFT ER THE NEW TREATY GOES :;TO EFFECT
�
PA NA MA W U.LD:- Efi,NMENT ENT TY EMPLOYEE S
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COVEP�E:. LY 71-s.
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AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER.
SECRET
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� � �� � �
FURTHER DISSEMINATION AND OF THIS INFORMATION SuelECT TO
. .
CONTROtS STATED AT BEGINNING AND END OF REPORT.
'THIS DOCUMENT TS NOT TO BE REPRODUCED
IN XCHANG FO INCLUSION OF
ALL U.S. ENTITY EMPLOYEES IN THE
EE R ,
ROTATION PLAN AS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE or THE NE;4 TREATY,
b FoLLokING THE 28 MAY MEETING, GaNiALEZ-REvILLA CONVEYED
To ToRP; JS THE GROLP,S REQUEST TO CONSULT WITH HI?. TORRIJos
FIRST coNcuRREWANIY,SCHEDULED A MEETING FOR 30 Y. HOWEVER,
HE LATER CHANGED HI'S HIND AND INSTRUCTED THE GROUP TO MEET AGAIN
wITHGuT HIM OD TO RELAY THE RESULTS TO HIM AND TO THE PANAmANIAN
NEGOTI AT ORS IN ASH! NGTON.
7. AFTER THE 30 ,mAy. t!EET,Ifitp,f,.zTHE RECOmMENDATIONS OF THE
, �