Panamanian FM Condemns
US Interference
Foreign Minister Samuel
Lewis said on Friday
that the Panamanian
government will work on
a free trade agreement
with the United States,
but he rejected
Washington's
interference in the
country's domestic
policy.
"We will not weaken the
democratic or
institutional system
that the country has
been building with great
effort," said Lewis, who
is also the first vice
president.
The Panamanian foreign
minister was replying to
US Trade Secretary
Carlos Gutierrez, who
said the election of
Deputy Miguel Gonzalez
might complicate the
ratification of the
Trade Promotion
Agreement.
"Panama's internal
decisions are sovereign
decisions by
Panamanians. No one will
come to tell us what
decisions we must make
and what decision we
must not make," he
added.
Regarding the election
of Gonzalez, a deputy
for the governing
Democratic Revolutionary
Party, Lewis said that
these "are autonomous
decisions by the
Panamanian legislative
organ."
We have to respect them
because we are building
a democracy based on
institutionalism," he
noted.
The Panamanian
government has taken
note of Gutierrez's
statements because he
represents the
administration of
President George W. Bush
in the process of
ratification in
Congress.
He added that Panama did
its part in the
negotiation, signing and
ratification of the
trade agreement, but it
is a different political
process in the United
States, with all kinds
of complexities.
"As far as Panama is
concerned, we will
continue to work with
the United States,
seeking formulas, until
this treaty becomes a
reality," he stressed. |
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