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### Viewing cable 08PANAMA623, GOP "DEEPLY CONCERNED" ABOUT US ARREST OF

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
08PANAMA623 | 2008-07-28 20:50 | 2011-05-31 00:00 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Panama

`

    VZCZCXYZ0000
    RR RUEHWEB

    DE RUEHZP #0623/01 2102050
    ZNY CCCCC ZZH
    R 282050Z JUL 08
    FM AMEMBASSY PANAMA
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2344
    INFO RHEFHLC/HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHINGTON DC
    RHMFISS/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
    RHMFISS/COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
    RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
    RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
    RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
    RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
    RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
    RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

` `

    C O N F I D E N T I A L PANAMA 000623

    SIPDIS

    STATE FOR WHA/CEN, L/LEI, L/WHA, AND L/OES

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/24/2018
    TAGS: KTIA PREL PGOV KJUS PBTS PHSA SNAR
    SUBJECT: GOP "DEEPLY CONCERNED" ABOUT US ARREST OF
    PANAMANIAN SAILORS IN 2006

    Classified By: POLCOUNS BRIAN R. NARANJO.  REASONS:  1.4 (B) AND (D)

    ¶1. (U) This is an action request; see para 8.

    -------
    Summary
    -------

    ¶2. (C) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) is "deeply
    concerned" about the situation of eight imprisoned Panamanian
    citizens who were arrested at sea and brought to the U.S. in
    2006 after the Panamanian flagged ship M/V PERSEUS V that was
    stopped and boarded and found to contain a large shipment of
    cocaine. Post received a Dip Note from the MFA on October 24,
    2007 (see para 10 for text) stating that the convictions of
    these men was due to "serious faults in the implementation"
    of the Salas-Becker Maritime Cooperation Agreement (SBA). The
    USG had requested GOP permission to board the ship in
    international waters under the SBA, and proceeded to seize
    the ship, cargo and crew. However, Panamanian law
    specifically prohibits the extradition of Panamanian
    citizens, and the GOP denies ever having authorized it. Post
    received a second DipNote on July 17, 2008, asking for a
    response to the first one (see para 11 for text). The issue
    is now becoming an internal political issue in Panama. Post
    recommends that the Department respond to the MFA by noting
    the judicial cases are closed, but propose that existing
    prisoner exchange mechanism such as a bilateral agreement or
    the Strasbourg Convention could be used to return the
    Panamanians to Panama to complete service of their sentences.
     Post also recommends that U.S. offer to consult with Panama,
    as provided for but never implemented in the Salas-Becker
    Agreement.  End Summary.

    ---------------
    Deepest Concern
    ---------------

    ¶3.  (SBU)  The MFA sent a first-peson diplomatic note to post
    on October 24, 2007 signed by First VP and FM Samuel Lewis.
    The DipNote referred to eight Panamanian sailors who were
    seized by the U.S. Coast Guard (CG) in January 2006 aboard
    the Panamanian flagged ship M/V PERSEUS V. The Coast Guard
    had requested permission from the GOP to board and search the
    ship under the Salas-Becker Maritime Cooperative Agreement
    (SBA) between the U.S. and Panama that allows each country to
    decline jurisdiction over its ships in international waters
    to the other. The Panamanians granted permission for the
    search, and the Coast Guard found a major shipment of cocaine
    on board. The sailors were arrested, taken to the U.S., tried
    and convicted. All are now serving prison sentences.

    ¶4.  (SBU)  Lewis' DipNote stated that the SBA was restricted
    by the Constitution and laws of each side, and noted that the
    laws of Panama did not allow extradition of Panamanian
    citizens. He further claimed that the USG never sought
    confirmation of Panamanian agreement to the boarding, which
    was given orally by the then head of the Panamanian National
    Maritime Service (SMN) to Post's Coast Guard Liaison Officer.
    (Note: The then-Director of the SMN, Ricardo Traad, was
    arrested in 2007 on charges related to Perseus V case as well
    as charges concerning money laundering, drug trafficking and
    other crimes. End Note) Lewis expressed his "deepest concern"
    for the legitimacy of the judicial actions against the
    Panamanians, given the alleged violation of the SBA that led
    to their being taken to the U.S.  Privately, GOP contacts
    have complained that Traad never had the authority to decline
    jurisdiction under the Salas-Becker Agreement (see para 10
    for text).  On July 17, 2008, Post received a second DipNote
    (see para 11 for text) from the MFA, requesting an official
    response to the first note. .

    ------------------------
    Lewis Raises with Charge
    ------------------------

    ¶5. (C)  For political reasons, Lewis told Charge on July 18
    that the U.S. and Panama needed to put the M/V PERSEUS V
    matter to rest.  MFA Senior Advisor Adolfo Ahumada proposed
    that the U.S. respond to the notes with the following
    formula: (a) the judicial process against these Panamanian

    sailors is closed; (b) the bilateral prisoner transfer treaty
    may provide a mechanism for these prisoners to request their
    transfer to Panama to serve out their sentences; and (c) the
    USG would be willing to consult with the GOP to clarify
    procedures, as provided for under the Salas-Becker Agreement,
    to enhance maritime coordination and cooperation.

    ---------------------------------------
    Former Legal Advisor: "No Good Way Out"
    ---------------------------------------

    ¶6. (C) "The way in which the PERSEUS V case was handled was a
    disaster all-around, a perfect example how not to implement
    Salas-Becker," former MFA Legal Advisor Iana Quadri told
    POLCOUNS and CGATT on July 24.  She concurred that the MFA
    was looking for the best resolution so that the matter could
    be put behind it politically.  "The lawyers for the families
    have no interest in these sailors.  They're interested in
    advancing their nationalist, sovereigntist agenda," Quadri
    explained.  Quadri felt that Ahumada's formula would provide
    such a solution.  She cautioned, however, that Panama had not
    used the bilateral prisoner exchange treaty as a mechanism to
    return its prisoners to Panama as the bilateral agreement did
    not allow for sentences handed down by U.S. judges to be
    reduced to the maximum allowed under Panamanian law for
    similar crimes.  Therefore, she said that Panama normally
    relied on the Strasbourg Convention.  Quadri also explained
    that the Salas-Becker Agreement also called for consultations
    on implementation of the agreement.  According to her, no
    such consulations have ever been held.  Furthermore, no
    agreed upon operational procedures for implementing
    Salas-Becker had ever been developed internally within the
    GOP or agreed upon with the USG.

    ¶7.  (C)  In an effort to look forward and put the Perseus V
    case to rest, Quadri said she thought consultations would be
    a good idea.  Prior to departing the MFA in February, Quadri
    convened GOP stakeholders from the MFA, the Ministry of the
    Government and Justice, the Council for Public Security and
    National Defense (CSPDN -- an NSC-equivalent), the National
    Maritime Service (SMN), the National Air Service (SAN) and
    the Attorney General's Office to reach agreement on internal
    GOP procedures and to clarify who exactly had the authority
    to, for example, decline jurisdiction.  She did not know,
    however, the final results of these internal consultations
    that concluded after she departed.

    -------
    Comment
    -------

    ¶8.  (C)  The M/V Perseus V case is becoming a political issue
    in Panama. National Assembly President Pedro Miguel Gonzalez
    (PMG), under federal indictment in connection with the 1992
    murder of a U.S. serviceman, has talked about challenging the
    Salas-Becker in court.  Separately, two Supreme Court
    Magistrates have told POLCOUNS that Salas-Becker is not
    unconstitutional and that they would see no reason to rule
    differently from two previous challenges to the agreement
    that upheld Salas-Beckers constitutionality.  The attorney
    for these sailors' families, Luis Barria, is the alternate
    representative (suplente) for Panamenista Party National
    Assembly Deputy Alcibades Vasquez.  Barria, a nationalist,
    through his legal actions is providing political oxygen to
    PMG, normally an ardent opponent of the Panamenista Party.
    Given the fundamental importance of the Salas-Becker to our
    counter-narcotics efforts, Post recommends that the
    Department seriously consider the formula proposed by Ahumada
    -- the judicial cases against the eight Panamanians are
    closed and cannot be reopened, prisoner exchange agreements
    between Panama and the U.S. could be used to send the
    prisoners back to Panama (provided the prisoners request to
    return) to complete their sentences, and consultations to
    enhance future cooperation should be considered -- as a way
    to resolve tihs matter.  Post understands that the U.S. Coast
    Guard has expressed an interest in consultations to clarify
    procedures under Salas-Becker.

    --------------
    Action Request
    --------------

    ¶9.  (U) Post requests language and guidance to respond to
    these diplomatic notes.

    ¶10.  (SBU)  Unofficial Translation of First Diplomatic Note:

    "Republic of Panama
    Panama, R. of P.

    Ministry of Foreign Relations
    Office of the Minister          October 24, 2007

    D.M.No.2475/A.J.

    To His Excellency
    William Eaton
    Ambassador of the United States of America
    Panama City

    Mr. Ambassador:

         I have the honor of addressing Your Excellency on the
    occasion of referring to the case of the Panamanian citizens
    detained on board of the Panamanian flagged ship Perseus V.

         As Your Excellency is aware, the ship PERSEUS V was
    boarded and searched in international waters by members of
    the United States of America's Coast Guard, under the terms
    of the Salas-Becker Agreement. The said boarding resulted in
    the discovery of an important shipment of illicit substances
    on board the ship, which prompted the immediate arrest of the
    crew, and the confiscation of the ship and its cargo.

         The Salas-Becker Agreement contains rules that regulate
    cases that affect ships that are registered or flagged in
    Panama or the United States that are located in international
    waters.

         These rules establish, inter alia, the possibility that
    one of the Parties declines its corresponding jurisdiction in
    favor of the other, with respect to the shipment, the persons
    on board the ship and the ship itself. This possibility is
    subject to the Constitution and the laws of Panama or of the
    United States of America permitting it to decline said
    jurisdiction.

         In this case, the handing over of persons on board the
    Panamanian ship was subject to the Constitution and laws of
    Panama. As you are aware, these  rules expressly prohibit the
    handing over of Panamanian nationals to foreign
    jurisdictions. This is an indeclinable principle that forms a
    part of the constitutional tradition of the Republic of
    Panama.

         For this reason, Mr. Ambassador, I must inform you that
    the authorization that the United States received from the
    (Panamanian) National Maritime Service, verbally confirmed by
    the then Director General of the National Maritime Service,
    was strictly limited to the boarding of the ship and could
    not be interpreted as an authorization to transfer the
    Panamanian citizens on board of PERSEUS V to the United
    States.

         In addition to the above, I must highlight that, once
    the United States Government received the communication dated
    January 13, 2006, it should have complied with the procedure
    for confirmation through diplomatic channels established in
    Article XI (5) of the mentioned Agreement, requirement that
    in this case was totally ignored.

         Taking into account the existence of serious faults in
    the implementation of the procedures of the Salas-Becker
    Agreement in the case of the ship PERSEUS V, I kindly request
    that you transmit to the Illustrious Government of the United
    States of America my deepest concern with respect to the
    legitimacy of the judicial processes that the courts of your
    country have carried out against the Panamanian citizens
    CARLOS ANTONIO VERGARA DOMINGUEZ, ENRIQE ELIOTT PINILLA,
    HERMOGENES OBERTO FERNANDEZ, LEBY HUMBERTO LAME AVILA,
    OLDEMAR ROLDAN SAMUDIO, LUIS ALBERTO PENALBA SILGADO, ROGELIO

    CARVAJAL SANCHEZ, AND REINALDO JESUS SANTOS URREA.

         From the circumstances that surround the transfer of
    these Panamanian citizens it can be deduced that it was not
    carried out in accordance with the rules included in the
    Salas-Becker Agreement, since the Panamanian State did not
    confirm and much less consented to the transfer of those
    referred to above.

         I take this opportunity to reiterate to Your Excellency
    the assurances of y highest consideration.

         /signed/
         SAMUEL LUIS NAVARRO
         First Vice-President
         Minister of Foreign Relations"

    END TEXT

    ¶11.  (SBU)  Unofficial Translation of Second Diplomatic Note:

    "REPUBLIC OF PANAMA
    Ministry of Foreign Relations
    Panama 4 Panama

    N/V A.J No. 1745

        The Ministry of Foreign Relations - Directorate General
    of Legal Affairs and Treaties - has the honor of addressing
    the Honorable Embassy of the United States of America on the
    occasion of referring to Panamanian citizens CARLOS ANTONIO
    VERGARA DOMINGUEZ, ENRIQE ELIOTT PINILLA, HERMOGENES OBERTO
    FERNANDEZ, LEBY HUMBERTO ALME AVILA, OLDEMAR ROLDAN SAMUDIO,
    LUIS ALBERTO PENALBA SILGADO, ROGELIO CARVAJAL SANCHEZ, AND
    REINALDO JESUS SANTOS URREA, who were detained on board of
    the PERSEUS V ship.

         The Ministry of Foreign Relations - Directorate General
    of Legal Affairs and Treaties - in this regard, would like to
    reiterate to the Honorable Embassy of the United States of
    America the content of Note D.M. No.2475/A.J. of October 24,
    2007, referring to the case of the mentioned Panamanian
    citizens, since as of this date no response had been received
    on this note.

         The Ministry of Foreign Relations - Directorate General
    of Legal Affairs and Treaties - in this regard, considers
    appropriate to request the Honorable Embassy of the United
    States of America to inform the Ministry if there is any
    statement from its High Authorities on the content of the
    said communication (note) and if there is not any, reiterates
    to the Illustrious Government the interest of the Republic of
    Panama to reach a prompt solution to the situation faced by
    the above-indicated Panamanian citizens.

         The Ministry of Foreign Relations - Directorate General
    of Legal Affairs and Treaties -  regarding the above, sends a
    copy of the above-mentioned note to the Honorable Embassy of
    the United States of America.

         The Ministry of Foreign Relations - Directorate General
    of Legal Affairs and Treaties -  takes this opportunity to
    reiterate to the Honorable Embassy of the United States of
    America, the assurances of its highest consideration.

    Panama, July 9, 2008

    To the Honorable
    Embassy of the United States of America
    Panama City"

    END TEXT
    MESA

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