Panama backing Canada for Security Council seat

The Canadian Minister of State for the Americas, Peter Kent, and Panama’s Vice President and Foreign Minister Juan Carlos Varela met in Panama on Wednesday tobdiscuss issues ranging from aviation and tourism, to Canadian investment in Panama, regional security, immigration, and visas.

The Canadian Minister also thanked Varela for the support offered by Panama to Canada’s bid for membership to the Security Council for 2011 to 2012.
Varela, lobbied in return for support from Canada to get Panama admitted to the Asia Pacific Cooperation Forum, when the moratorium for accepting new members ends
Aviation and visas are high on the list of Canadian expats and Panamanians alike as they look forward to direct flights to Canada, and easier access to visas.
The visa service has improved in recent months. Passports no longer have to be sent to Guatemala by the applicant and help is available in the Canadian embassy in Panama, but applicants are looking forward to the day when the Embassy has a full service passport office, as the free trade agreement between the two countries will soon become effective.

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