unitex@rubbs.fidonet.org (unitex) (08/14/89)
UNPRESS: DEBATE ON PANAMA'S COMPLAINT AGAINST US
Panama Says Recent US Military Manoeuvres Violate Established
Practices; United States Declares Them To Be In Accord With Canal Treaties
The Security Council this morning heard a complaint by Panama's Minister
for External Relations that the crisis between the two countries had worsened
because of United States actions. It had suddenly decided to ignore all
established practices and procedures for military manoeuvres, so that Panama
lived under the threat of armed aggression with United States forces
entrenched on its territory.
The representative of the United States, in turn, said that all United
States military activities in Panama were conducted in complete accord with
the Panama Canal Treaties, without exception, and that since February 1988,
the Noriega regime had deliberately violated provisions of the Canal Treaties
on almost 900 occasions. General Noriega continued to attempt to interfere
with Canal operations, to the detriment of world commerce.
The Panamanian Foreign Minister, Jorge Eduardo Ritter, asked the Council
to decide whether the United States actions constituted aggression. He said
the United States actions had been those of an army of occupation. It had
been trying to bring about responses that would justify its taking Panama by
force. He called for military observers, as early as next Monday, to be in
place in the area. Thus, the reality of the situation would no longer be
hidden.
The United States representative, Herbert S. Okun, said Panama's
"fraudulent" appeal to the principle of non-intervention was intended to
distract attention from General Noriega's violent and willful denial of his
people's right to self determination. Once General Noriega gave up his
illegal efforts to cling to power, the United States was prepared to resume
its traditional co-operative relationship and a joint Canal defence effort.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the Council President, Hocine Djoudi
(Algeria), said the next meeting on this issue will take place after
consultations among the Council's members.
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