Reunión en Panamá

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 03978



E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR

TAGS: PREL, XK, UNSC, OAS, PM,

SUBJECT: TFPM02: MEETING WITH SC PRESIDENT ON PANAMA



REF: STATE 403831



1. (CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT)



2. SUMMARY. AMB PICKERING MET WITH SC PRESIDENT

(COLOMBIA) DEC 20 TO ASK THAT A LETTER SETTING FORTH THE

REASONS FOR U.S. ACTIONS IN PANAMA AND A COPY OF

PRESIDENT BUSH'S STATEMENT BE CIRCULATED AS OFFICIAL UN

DOCUMENTS. PICKERING ALSO ARGUED AGAINST PREMATURE

ACTION BY THE SECURITY COUNCIL, SUGGESTING THAT THE SC

WAIT TO SEE WHAT ACTION THE OAS WOULD TAKE. END SUMMARY.



3. AMBS PICKERING AND WATSON, TOGETHER WITH POL AND

LEGAL COUNSELORS, MET WITH SC PRESIDENT ENRIQUE PENALOSA

(COLOMBIA) MORNING DEC 20. PICKERING DELIVERED TO

PENALOSA COPIES OF PRESIDENT BUSH'S STATEMENT MADE

7:20AM DEC 20 AND A LETTER SETTING FORTH THE REASONS FOR

U.S. ACTION IN PANAMA. HE ASKED THAT BOTH BE CIRCULATED

AS OFFICIAL SC DOCUMENTS. PENALOSA AGREED.



4. PENALOSA SAID HE NEEDED U.S. ADVICE REGARDING THE

NICARAGUAN REQUEST FOR AN IMMEDIATE MEETING OF THE

SECURITY COUNCIL. HIS OWN INCLINATION WOULD BE TO HOLD

INFORMAL CONSULTATIONS OF THE WHOLE COUNCIL AT 11:00AM,

THEN FOLLOW WITH AN OPEN MEETING WHERE THE U.S., THE

NICARAGUANS AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES DELEGATIONS

COULD MAKE STATEMENTS. HE DID NOT ANTICIPATE THE

COUNCIL TAKING ANY IMMEDIATE ACTION, BUT OVER THE NEXT

FEW DAYS THAT HE WOULD REMAIN IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE

MEMBERS, SEE HOW THE SITUATION DEVELOPS, AND DETERMINE

IF A FURTHER MEETING AND ANY OTHER ACTION IS NECESSARY.

PENALOSA ALSO SUGGESTED THAT MAYBE THE LATIN MEMBERS OF

THE COUNCIL COULD PREPARE A PROPOSAL. PICKERING

INDICATED IT WAS PREMATURE TO CONSIDER SUCH AN APPROACH.



5. PICKERING STRESSED THAT IT IS IMPRACTICAL TO HAVE

CONSULTATIONS OF THE WHOLE COUNCIL SO EARLY. A NUMBER

OF QUESTIONS NEEDED TO BE CONSIDERED. HE SAID THE

DEMOCRATICALLY-ELECTED GOVERNMENT OF PANAMA HAD

APPOINTED A NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE AND THAT HIS

CREDENTIALS WOULD BE PRESENTED TO THE SYG VERY SHORTLY.

THE U.S. FEELS STRONGLY THAT THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE

NORIEGA REGIME SHOULD NOT SPEAK IN THE COUNCIL AND THAT

THE PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEMOCRATIC

GOVERNMENT OF PANAMA SHOULD BE SEATED.



6. PICKERING ALSO SAID THAT THE OAS WAS CONSIDERING THE

ISSUE. HE ARGUED THAT SINCE THE OAS IS THE REGIONAL

FORUM FROM WHICH, UNDER ARTICLE 52 OF THE CHARTER, THE

SECURITY COUNCIL SHOULD TAKE ITS LEAD. HE SUGGESTED

THAT PENALOSA MAY WANT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE

COLOMBIAN AMBASSADOR AT THE OAS IN ORDER TO LEARN FOR

HIMSELF WHAT STEPS THE OAS WAS PLANNING TO TAKE.



7. PICKERING CONCLUDED BY SUGGESTING THAT PENALOSA

CONSULT WITH INTERESTED MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL

BILATERALLY AND SCHEDULE ANOTHER MEETING WITH THE U.S.

LATER IN THE DAY TO DISCUSS THE POSITIONS OF THE MEMBERS

OF THE COUNCIL. PICKERING EMPHASIZED THAT IT WOULD BE

PREMATURE TO RUSH AHEAD WITH CONSULTATIONS OF THE WHOLE

THIS MORNING.



8. PICKERING NOTED THAT PRESIDENT BUSH HAD SPOKEN BY

TELEPHONE WITH PRESIDENT BARCO (WHO SAID HE WOULD TRY TO

BE HELPFUL), PRIME MINISTERS MULRONEY AND THATCHER AND

OTHER LEADERS. HE ALSO SAID THAT PRELIMINARY REPORTS

INDICATE THAT A NUMBER OF COUNTRIES ARE READY TO

RECOGNIZE THE NEW GOVERNMENT.



9. COMMENT. IN AN EFFORT TO DELAY SC CONSIDERATION OF

THE ISSUE AND ALLOW THE PERMREP OF THE DEMOCRATIC

PANAMANIAN GOVERNMENT TO PRESENT HIS CREDENTIALS, USUN

IS ATTEMPTING TO PROLONG THE PERIOD OF BILATERAL

CONSULTATIONS. AT OUR REQUEST, THE UK, FRENCH, AND

CANADIAN DELEGATIONS HAVE ALSO REQUESTED BILATERAL

CONSULTATIONS WITH THE SC PRESIDENT. END COMMENT.



MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.





PICKERING