Lack of clarity in Panama-China agreements

The government of President Varela, who signed an agreement on behalf of Panama, with President Xi Jinping, of the People’s Republic of China is being criticized for lack of transparency with multiple voices raised over the possibility of siting the Chinese embassy in Amador.

Critics say the Executive has not fully revealed the contents of the agreements something that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected reports La Prensa.

On January 31, 2018, the government announced that the Cabinet Council had approved the agreements signed in November 2018, as part of the official visit to Beijing. They alluded at that time to Civil Air Transport and Maritime Transport. Nothing was said about the agreement to the leasing of the new embassy offices in the respective countries, under the concept of reciprocity and that it will be sealed through A 70 years extendable lease agreement, for a symbolic value of $ 1.

However, a week later, on February 7, the then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luis Miguel Hincapié, presented before the plenary of the Assembly three bills one for each of the agreements. They were approved in the first debate by the Foreign Relations Committee on February 28, and on March 1 were approved in second debate before the plenary session.

But says  La  Prensa of the 25 documents that emerged from the meeting between Xi and Varela only these three received debates in the legislature

The rest of the agreements are considered inter-institutional or simplified agreements, which according to the jurisprudence of the Supreme Court, do not require such a procedure,” Nadia Montenegro, director in charge of Foreign Ministry legal issues.

Of the texts agreed upon 15 are Memorandums of Understanding, 6 are agreements (including a framework agreement) and one is an agreement of economic and technical cooperation. In addition, there are two exchanges of notes, one relating to the establishment of a consulate in Shanghai and another on non-reimbursable educational cooperation, and a communication in which a 21-day workshop for 20 journalists paid for by the Chinese government.