DATE=2/18/97

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-210271

TITLE=PANAMA/DRUGS (L-ONLY)

BYLINE=BILL RODGERS

DATELINE=SAN JOSE

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: PANAMA'S FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS HIS GOVERNMENT HAS OPENED

PRELIMINARY TALKS WITH THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER COUNTRIES ON A

PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH A MULTI-NATIONAL ANTI-NARCOTICS CONTROL

CENTER ON PANAMANIAN TERRITORY. AS V-O-A'S BILL RODGERS REPORTS

FROM THE COSTA RICAN CAPITAL,THE PANAMANIAN OFFICIAL TOLD

REPORTERS IN SAN JOSE TUESDAY THERE IS GREAT INTEREST IN THE

PANAMANIAN PROPOSAL.

TEXT: PANAMANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER RICARDO ALBERTO ARIAS SAYS

HIS GOVERNMENT HAS DISCUSSED THE PROPOSAL WITH A NUMBER OF

COUNTRIES --INCLUDING COLOMBIA, ECUADOR, MEXICO AND THE UNITED

STATES. MR. ARIAS TOLD REPORTERS IN SAN JOSE TUESDAY THESE

NATIONS HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST IN THE IDEA AS A WAY TO COMBAT

DRUG SMUGGLING IN THE AMERICAS MORE EFFECTIVELY.

MR. ARIAS, WHO WAS IN THE COSTA RICAN CAPITAL FOR A ONE-DAY

VISIT, SAID HIS GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSAL IS TO SET UP A

MULTI-NATIONAL ANTI-NARCOTICS CENTER ON HOWARD AIR FORCE BASE.

THE UNITED STATES WILL TURN OVER THE BASE, ALONG WITH OTHER U-S

MILITARY INSTALLATIONS, TO PANAMA BY DECEMBER 31ST, 1999 IN

COMPLIANCE WITH THE PANAMA CANAL TREATY WHICH WILL GIVE THE LATIN

AMERICAN NATION CONTROL OVER THE STRATEGIC WATERWAY.

THE PANAMANIAN OFFICIAL SAID THE UNITED STATES HAS ALREADY SET UP

AN EARLY WARNING AND MONITORING SYSTEM ON HOWARD AIR FORCE BASE

AIMED AT DETECTING SUSPECTED DRUG FLIGHTS. MR. ARIAS BELIEVES

ONCE THE BASE IS TURNED OVER TO PANAMA IT COULD SERVE AS A

MULTI-NATIONAL TRAINING AND OPERATIONAL CENTER FOR THE WAR ON

DRUGS. HE SAID THE IDEA IS THAT DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, INCLUDING

THE UNITED STATES, CONTRIBUTE PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT FOR THE

CENTER'S OPERATIONS.

IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS, MR. ARIAS SAID HIS GOVERNMENT'S

PROPOSAL HAS BEEN RAISED WITH OTHER COUNTRIES, BUT HAS NOT YET

REACHED THE NEGOTIATION STAGE.

HE SAID THE DISCUSSIONS ARE MAKING PROGRESS -- AND PREDICTED HIS

GOVERNMENT WILL MAKE A DECISION ON WHETHER TO MOVE AHEAD WITH THE

PROPOSAL SOME TIME LATER THIS YEAR. HE SAID U-S OFFICIALS APPEAR

-- AS HE PUT IT-- "ENTHUSIASTIC" ABOUT THE PROPOSAL.

PANAMA AND THE UNITED STATES LAST YEAR HAD INFORMALLY

DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY OF MAINTAINING A U-S MILITARY PRESENCE

IN THE COUNTRY AFTER THE YEAR 2000. BUT THE TWO SIDES NEVER

OPENED FORMAL TALKS, AND PANAMA HAS SINCE SAID THE ISSUE IS NOW

CLOSED -- A POSITION MR. ARIAS REITERATED IN THE COSTA RICAN

CAPITAL ON TUESDAY.

THE PANAMANIAN OFFICIAL WAS IN SAN JOSE TUESDAY TO DISCUSS

STRENGTHENING COMMERCIAL TIES WITH COSTA RICA AND THE REST OF

CENTRAL AMERICA. MR.ARIAS, WHO MET WITH COSTA RICAN FOREIGN

MINISTER FERNANDO NARANJO, SAID HE BRIEFED HIS COSTA RICAN

COUNTERPART ABOUT THE PROPOSED ANTI-DRUG CENTER.(SIGNED)

NEB/PT

18-Feb-97 6:44 PM EST (2344 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America