t***h
发帖数: 5601 | 1 https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/10PANAMA87_a.html
Date: 2010 February 23, 19:07 (Tuesday)
Canonical ID: 10PANAMA87_a
Original Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
Current Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
Type: TE - Telegram (cable)
From: Panama Panama City
To: Belize Belmopan | Central Intelligence Agency | China Beijing | Colombia
Bogota | Costa Rica San Jose | Defense Intelligence Agency | Ecuador Quito
| El Salvador San Salvador | Honduras Tegucigalpa | National Security
Council | Nicaragua Managua | Panama Panama City | Peru Lima | RUMIESS
SOUTHCOM IESS MIAMI FL | Secretary of Defense | Secretary of State | Taiwan
Taipei City | Venezuela Caracas
VZCZCXYZ0000 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHZP #0087/01 0541907 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 231907Z
FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY PANAMA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0465 INFO RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC RHEHAAA/
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RUEHBE/
AMEMBASSY BELMOPAN RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0001 RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI TW 0001 RUEHMU/AMEMBASSY MANAGUA
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO RUEHSJ/AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE
RUEHSN/AMEMBASSY SAN SALVADOR RUEHTG/AMEMBASSY TEGUCIGALPA 0081 RUEHZP/
AMEMBASSY PANAMA RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RUMIESS/SOUTHCOM IESS MIAMI FL
Content
C O N F I D E N T I A L PANAMA 000087
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/02/16
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PM, CH, TW, ECON
SUBJECT: No Recognition for PRC Anytime Soon - Panama Sticks with Taiwan
REF: 09 PANAMA 461; 09 SAN JOSE 985; 10 PANAMA 29
CLASSIFIED BY: Stephenson, Ambassador; REASON: 1.4(B), (D)
Summary
1. (U) The GOP has renewed its commitment to Panama's longstanding
relationship with Taiwan, despite public statements by President Ricardo
Martinelli in 2009 that Panama would opt for formal diplomatic ties with the
People's Republic of China (PRC). Martinelli attempted to follow through
with his plan for recognizing the PRC but was told to back off by the
Chinese. Taiwan has used financial incentives to retain the backing of the
Martinelli administration, generating controversy over the recent "donation"
of a $22 million business jet for the government's official use. End
Summary.
Hurry up and Wait
2. (C) On January 6, Foreign Minister Juan Carlos Varela agreed to a "five-
year cooperation" plan which includes the donation of $25 million for
construction of a hospital on the outskirts of Panama City in Chilibre - Las
Cumbres, and the donation of a $22 million executive business jet. Varela
had to backtrack in announcing the cooperation plan; during their 2009
presidential campaign, both he and President Martinelli publicly indicated
that Panama would recognize the growing economic relationship with China, as
well as China's particular interests in Panama, by establishing formal
diplomatic relations. During his first meeting as President with the
Ambassador in May 2009, Martinelli said that he was "going to recognize
Beijing" as he thought that Panama's business community would benefit as a
result (Ref A).
3. (C) Martinelli may have had in mind the type of cooperation that Costa
Rica has been enjoying with the PRC since establishing formal ties in 2007 (
Ref B). However, FM Varela stated to the Ambassador on February 18 that he
was told by the Chinese Foreign Minister during his visit to Asia the
previous month that, due to diplomatic overtures underway between Beijing
and Taipei, now was not the time for Panama to recognize the PRC. On
February 1, Costa Rican President Oscar Arias informed a Colombian diplomat
that Martinelli told him Panama wanted to follow Costa Rica's lead but that
the Chinese had asked him to "remain calm" and that the PRC was not
interested in furthering diplomatic ties in the region for the time being.
Chinese diplomats have related to Poloff in Costa Rica that the PRC was
concerned that diplomatic recognition from other Latin American countries
might damage their recently improved relations with Taiwan (Ref B).
4. (U) While Panama and Taiwan have full diplomatic relations, the PRC
maintains only a trade mission in Panama. The PRC has important economic
interests in Panama; Hong Kong-based companies operate two of the four ports
on both the Atlantic and Pacific terminus of the Panama Canal and the PRC
is the second most frequent user of the waterway. The PRC is also the
largest supplier of goods to the Colon Free Zone (CFZ), the world's second
largest free trade zone. Taiwan and Panama, meanwhile, signed a free trade
agreement in 2003. The ethnic Chinese community in Panama remains publicly
agnostic on the issue of official recognition for the PRC. "Chino-Panamanos"
number between 130,000 and 200,000 (roughly 4-6% of the population) and are
ubiquitous in the convenience store or "mini-super" industry.
Where Does the Money Go?
5. (U) Varela's confirmation of the renewal of ties with Taiwan came on the
heels of Taiwan's gift to the GOP of a $22 million Embraer Legacy 600
executive business jet in December 2009. Martinelli had previously received
criticism for his plans to purchase a new official jet, which ran counter to
his campaign rhetoric indicating that, with an officially declared personal
fortune of approximately $300 million, he would not need to charge the
public treasury for executive travel. The government of Taiwan has
historically used financial incentives to sweeten its relationship with
Panama: political science professor Miguel Antonio Bernal estimated aid to
be $125 million per year during the previous administration of President
Martin Torrijos. Scholarships for study in Taiwan and grants to various
ministries are among the ways Taiwan has donated to Panama. Last year during
an address to the Panamanian National Assembly, President Ma expressed
interest in "project-based" aid, specifically mentioning planned
improvements to Panama's mass transit system.
6. (U) The longstanding financial aid has been derided on both sides of the
Pacific as "checkbook diplomacy" and there is a traditional lack of
transparency in how the money received from Taiwan is spent. Varela stated
to Polcouns and the Ambassador that the money is simply deposited in the
treasury. In mid-February of this year reports surfaced that former
president Mireya Moscoso was facing investigation for the misuse of up to $
70 million in funds from Taiwan. Moscoso has denied any involvement in
distribution of money received by Mar Del Sur, a foundation set up for the
sole purpose of distributing Taiwanese funds.
Comment
7. (C) The GOP decision to publicly back Taiwan is the result of financial
incentives and a current lack of interest by the PRC. Martinelli seems to
have been yearning for a dramatic diplomatic maneuver in pursuing
recognition of the PRC but did not appear to have factored in the
possibility that China would use (or, rather, not use) Panama for its own
ends in improving its relationship with Taiwan.
STEPHENSON | h*h
发帖数: 18873 | |
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