Diplomatic Briefing
Your exclusive news aggregator handpicked daily!Archive for Panama
Newsline: Panama Withdraws Ambassador to Venezuela in Diplomatic Spat
Panama is withdrawing its ambassador to Venezuela following mutual allegations of corruption between the two nations, insisting Venezuela follow suit and withdraw its own ambassador. In a statement released late Thursday, the Panamanian government cited Venezuela’s suspension of economic, commercial and financial relations with certain Panamanian officials and companies, including Copa airline. “After analyzing the measures of Venezuela, the Panamanian government considers that it is a political reaction that lacks sustenance, and is adopted outside the international legal framework, adopted in retaliation for the actions announced by Panama,” the statement by Panama’s Foreign Ministry reads. The statement did not make clear exactly when Panamanian Ambassador to Venezuela Miguel Mejia would leave his post, or the deadline by which Venezuelan Ambassador to Panama Jorge Duran Centeno should be withdrawn. Venezuela responded late Thursday by saying it would call its ambassador for a consultation: “The Bolivarian government rejects the unacceptable aggression of the anti-popular and corrupt government of President Juan Carlos Varela, against the people of Venezuela,” Executive Vice-President Tareck El Aissami posted on his Twitter account.
Newsline: Panama recalls EU ambassador over tax haven list
Panama recalled its ambassador to the EU from Brussels for consultations after the Central American country was included on a European Union blacklist of countries deemed as tax havens, the government said on Wednesday. European Union finance ministers adopted a blacklist of 17 jurisdictions deemed tax havens on Tuesday, in an unprecedented step to counter worldwide tax avoidance, although they did not agree on financial levies for the listed countries. “Given the unfortunate incorporation of the country in this discriminatory list, the Republic of Panama has decided to call its Ambassador to the European Union, Dario Chiru, to assess the steps to be followed moving forward,” the government said in a statement. The list also included American Samoa, Bahrain, Barbados, Grenada, Guam, South Korea, Macau, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Namibia, Palau, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia and United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Newsline: Panama Opens First Embassy in China After Axing Taiwan Ties
Months after breaking ties with Taiwan, Panama has opened its first embassy in China’s capital of Beijing in what has been described as a “historic” move. Panama’s President Juan Carlos Varela hailed the move as “historic” and reiterated his commitment to the “One China” policy. Varela first considered axing diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 2006, shortly after he became leader of his party, but he didn’t make the move until June of this year. Varela, currently on a week-long visit to China, is due to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. The two are expected to sign a number of agreements on everything from the economy to trade and tourism.
Newsline: Former Panamanian Embassy in London Getting Second Calling as £75M Home
A London mansion opposite the Victoria and Albert Museum that served as the Panamanian Embassy and the home of ballerina Dame Margot Fonteyn was released for sale Monday, with a price tag of £75 million (US$98.99 million). Amberwood House, in London’s swanky Knightsbridge neighborhood, served as the Panamanian Embassy between the early 1930s and late 1990s. It was the home of Fonteyn, a prima ballerina assoluta (a now rarely-used title awarded to the most notable of female ballet dancers) with the Royal Ballet, during the 1950s and 1960s, according to a news release, following her marriage to Dr. Roberto Emilio Arias in 1955, who became the Panamanian Ambassador that same year.
Newsline: Panama opens embassy in Beijing after break with Taiwan
Panama has opened an embassy in China, the Central American country’s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday, deepening its links with the world’s No. 2 economy after its diplomatic break with longtime ally Taiwan. Panama established diplomatic ties with China in June and broke with Taiwan in a major victory for Beijing, as it lures away the dwindling number of countries that have formal relations with the self-ruled island that China regards as a wayward province. “The opening of the embassy of the Republic of Panama in the People’s Republic of China has been done in accordance with the rules that dictate diplomatic relations between the two countries,” Panama’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement. It added that the embassy was already functioning, although an ambassador had yet to be installed. Speaking in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said China’s trade office in the country had on July 13 formally become its embassy in Panama.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-panama-china-idUSKBN1AA2V7
Newsline: Taiwan to close embassy in Panama on July 12
Taiwan will officially close its embassy in Panama on Wednesday as the former ally does the same in Taiwan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Eleanor Wang said Tuesday. The embassies will shut down, diplomatic staff will leave, and implementation of all bilateral cooperation programs and agreements between the two countries will be terminated, Wang said at a press conference held by the ministry. Wang noted, however, that the ROC-Panama free trade agreement (FTA) will remain in force until the two sides reach a new consensus on bilateral trade relations or strike a new trade deal. Although Panama has repeatedly expressed the hope that the two sides open commercial offices in each other’s territory, Taiwan’s economic and trade authorities are still studying the proposal, Wang said. Also, questions like whether or not the proposed offices would have consular functions, such as issuing travel documents, are still to be resolved through bilateral talks, she added. Panama switched its diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China on June 13 (Taiwan time).
Newsline: China to Upgrade Trade Development Office in Panama to Embassy
The China-Panama Trade Development Office, currently China’s highest representative office in the country, will be upgraded to a full Chinese embassy. Wang Weihua, permanent representative of the office, disclosed that the embassy will be built in Panama City. Wang’s remarks came soon after China and Panama signed a joint communique on the establishment of diplomatic relations on June 13. More staff will be recruited and a new location will be scouted to build a more permanent embassy, Wang said. The Office of China-Panama Trade Development is located in an office building.
https://sputniknews.com/politics/201706151054644172-china-upgrades-panama-office-embassy/
Newsline: Panama Opens Embassy in Morocco
he headquarters of the Embassy of the Republic of Panama in Morocco was inaugurated in Rabat, in the presence of the Panamanian Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mayra Arosemena and several Moroccan officials. The Panamanian Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs welcomed, in a statement to the press, the opening of Panama’s embassy in Morocco, expressing her country’s readiness to promote bilateral cooperation with Morocco. She expressed optimism about further strengthening bilateral economic and trade relations, adding that Morocco is a gateway to Africa, while Panama is considered an entry point to South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. For her part, Bouaida said the inauguration of the Panamanian Embassy in Rabat is a landmark in Moroccan-Panamanian relations which is heralding a promising future in terms of political and economic exchanges.
http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2014/04/128808/opening-of-embassy-of-panama-in-morocco/
Newsline: Venezuela expels Panamanian ambassador after severing ties
Venezuela asked the Panamanian ambassador to leave the country within 48 hours Thursday after it severed ties with Panama for attempting to interfere in Venezuela’s internal affairs. Ambassador Pedro Pereira and the three embassy staff members were declared “personae non gratae” and given 48 hours to leave Venezuela, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. President Nicolas Maduro said Wednesday that Venezuela was breaking off diplomatic ties with Panama after Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli called an urgent meeting of the Organization of American States (OAS) over the political turmoil in Venezuela. Two people were killed in a Caracas neighborhood Thursday, bringing the death toll to at least 20 in the month-long anti-government protests. It was the second time that foreign diplomats were expelled from the country since street protests erupted on Feb. 12. Last month, Venezuela expelled three U.S. diplomats accused of conspiring with the opposition. Washington denied the charge and expelled three Venezuelan diplomats in retaliation.
Newsline: Venezuela breaks diplomatic relations with Panama over protest talks
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said Wednesday his government was breaking diplomatic relations with Panama after the country called a meeting of North and Latin American nations over protests in Caracas. Writing on Twitter, Panama President Ricardo Martinelli said that the move was “surprising,” adding: “Panama only longs for our sister country to find peace and strengthen its democracy.” Earlier, during a ceremony marking the anniversary of Hugo Chávez’s death, Maduro said he had also decided to freeze all trade and economic ties with the Central American nation. Maduro directed his anger against Panama after it requested a private meeting of the Washington-based Organization of American States to be held on Thursday to seek solutions to resolve tensions in Venezuela.
http://www.ticotimes.net/2014/03/05/venezuela-breaks-relations-with-panama-over-protest-talks
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