Panama, US differ at free trade talks
Panama and the United States maintained their differences on vital issues Tuesday during the second day of the negotiations for a free trade agreement.

The biggest differences focused on agricultural and food issues, especially tomato paste and beef, the Panamanian Trade and Industry Ministry said.

The United States presented a "very aggressive" proposal for tomato paste, far from the expectations of Panama, the Panamanian government said.

Washington, for its part, said Panama's proposal on beef is unacceptable, and that it would make a counter proposal.

However, progress was reported in the textile and telecom sectors.

The Panamanian government said it is necessary for the two sides to identify the differences in the negotiations for fair and transparent guidelines to promote investments.
 

Former Mexican FMs oppose expansion of UN Security Council
Three former foreign ministers of Mexico said the government should oppose the expansion of permanent membership in the UN Security Council, arguing it is an important part of Mexico's foreign policy.

The three ministers made their arguments in an interview after attending an International Peace Organization Forum at the National Autonomy University of Mexico on Tuesday.

An expanded council will only reduce the space for international democratic decision-making, Fernando Solana Morales, who served as foreign minister from 1988 to 1993, told reporters.

Mexico should "firmly" oppose the increase in number of permanent members and actively promote the democratization of the council's security system, Solana said.

If the membership expansion proposal is adopted, Mexico will have to face the danger of being marginalized in international diplomacy, Bernardo Sepulveda Amor, who became foreign minister in1982, said, adding that Mexico's international influence will also see a sharp decline accordingly.

Manuel Tello Macias, who was Mexico's foreign minister in 1994,said the expansion will undermine the council's representability.

Mexico has indicated its reservation over Brazil, Germany, Japan and India's united bid for permanent seats on the council.

"The creation of new permanent seats would lead to an even greater concentration in the international decision making process. We cannot ignore that Permanent Members already have more influence in this regard than the rest of the membership. This should be restricted and not further encouraged," Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Ernesto Derbez told world leaders a month ago during the general debate of the 59th UN General Assembly session.

Analysts said Mexico's lukewarm reaction to an expanded council is out of a strategic consideration.

Some South American countries, such as Peru and Ecuador, back the bid of Brazil, the biggest economy in Latin America.
 

Colombia to demobilize 4,000 paramilitary fighters
The Colombian government said Tuesday that it will demobilize over 4,000 fighters of the far-right United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) by the end of this year.

The first batch of 1,462 AUC fighters will be demobilized on Nov. 3 under the timetable reached between Bogota and the 20,000-strong armed group, said government negotiation representative Carlos Moreno de Caro.

The AUC formally began peace negotiations with the government earlier in June.

Medical checks and job training programs will be arranged for the demobilized combatants. But those who committed crimes against humanity and drug trafficking must be brought to justice, said de Caro.

The AUC, one of Colombia's largest right-wing paramilitaries originally set up to fight leftist guerrillas, is accused of massacres, collective murders, kidnappings and crimes against humanity.

Colombia has been plagued by a four-decade civil war, in which leftist rebels, far-right paramilitaries and government troops fight each other, killing about 3,500 people every year.
 

Top official, businessmen shot dead in Guatemala
Three individuals, including an analyst of the Executive Secretariat of the Guatemala Presidency, were shot dead Tuesday while a mayor was seriously injured, according to reports reaching here.

The shooting occurred on Tuesday noon in a restaurant located on the Taxisco-Guazacapan road, Santa Rosa province.

According to Santa Rosa authorities, Nelson Davila, mayor of the city of Guazacapan and a member of the opposition party Guatemalan Republican Front (FRG), and Jose Sagastume, an analyst with the Development Council of the Executive Secretariat of the Presidency, were lunching with two businessmen when unknown gunmen opened fire.

Sagastume and two businessmen, Arturo Coronado and Efrain Ochoa, were killed on the spot. Davila, with six gunshot wounds, is in critical condition.

Authorities are investigating into the identities of the attackers and their motives.