3

(6) A 1977 protocol to the Treaty Concerning

the Permanent. Neutrality and Operation of the Panama Canal provides that "Nothing in the treaty

shall preclude the Republic of Panama and the agreements or ar

United States from making

rangements for the stationing of any United States

military forces or the maintenance of defense sites after [December 31, 1999] in Panama that Panama and the United States may deem necessary or appropriate".

(7) Public opinion surveys in Panama in recent years consistently have shown that approximately 70 percent of the population of Panama support a United States presence in Panama.

(8) On September 6, 1995, during an official Ernesto Perez

visit of Panama's President

Balladares to the United States, it was announced

that Presidents Clinton and Perez Balladares had

agreed to begin informal consultations on the possible extension beyond December 31, 1999, of a United States presence in Panama.

(9) Early discussions pursuant to the announcement of September 6, 1995, were very encouraging, but the discussions foundered after the United

States refused to consider providing any form of

4

compensation to Panama in exchange for an extension of the United States presence in Panama.

(10) After it became clear that no agreement could be reached on extending the United States

presence in Panama past 1999 in its customary

form, Panama proposed negotiations on the establishment of a Multinational Counternarcotics Center

(MCC), which would permit the continuation of a limited United States presence in Panama past 1999 and for which no compensation would be expected. (11). On December 24, 1997, the United States and Panama announced that preliminary agreement had been reached on establishment of the MCC, but the Government of Panama subsequently reopened a

number of issues on which preliminary agreement had been reached.

(12) Following rejection by the voters of Panama on August 30, 1998, of a proposed constitutional amendment to permit President Perez Balladares to seek reelection, the United States and

Panama announced on September 24, 1998, that the MCC negotiations had failed and would be terminated.

(13) Panama and the United States continue to

25 have a strong shared interest in maintaining a

7

MENT TO MAINTAIN A UNITED STATES PRES

ENCE IN PANAMA.

(a) SUBMISSION OF CERTIFICATION AND REPORT.— 8 At any time after the date of the enactment of this Act, 9 the President may submit to the Committee on Inter10 national Relations of the House of Representatives and 11 the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate the cer12 tification described in subsection (b) and the report de13 scribed in subsection (c).

14 (b) CONTENT OF CERTIFICATION.-The certification 15 referred to in subsection (a) is a certification by the Presi16 dent that the United States and the Government of Pan17 ama have reached an agreement permitting the United 18 States, for a period of not less than 15 years, to maintain 19 a presence, alone or in conjunction with other friendly 20 countries, sufficient to carry out necessary counter21 narcotics, search and rescue, logistical, training, and re22 lated missions at Howard Air Force Base, Fort Kobbe, 23 Rodman Naval Station, and Fort Sherman, under terms 24 and conditions substantially similar to those applied to the 25 United States presence at those facilities during the period

6

1 beginning on October 1, 1979, and ending on December

2 31, 1999.

3 (c) CONTENT OF REPORT.-The report referred to 4 in subsection (a) is a report containing the following:

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

(1) The text of the agreement described in subsection (b) that has been reached between the United States and the Government of Panama.

(2) A detailed explanation of the manner in which the agreement ensures that the United States will be able to use the facilities subject to the agreement under terms and conditions substantially simi

lar to those that applied during the period beginning

on October 1, 1979, and ending on December 31, 1999.

(3) If the agreement provides for a United States presence at the facilities subject to the agreement for a period longer than 15 years, a statement

of the date on which that presence expires under the agreement.

(d) SUBMISSION IN CLASSIFIED FORM.-To the de

21 gree necessary, the report under subsection (c) may be

22 submitted in classified form.

7.

1 SEC. 4. BENEFITS.

2

(a) IN GENERAL.-If the President submits the cer3 tification and report under section 3, then the provisions

4 of subsections (b) through (h) apply.

5

(b) ASSISTANCE FOR BRIDGE PROJECT IN PAN

6 AMA.

(1) ACTION BY TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY.-The Director of the Trade and Development Agency shall consider a grant or grants to assist in the design, financial planning, training, and other preparatory steps for the construction of a new bridge across the Panama Canal.

(2) REPORTING REQUIREMENT.-Not later than 1 year after the date on which the President submits the certification and report under section 3, the Director of the Trade and Development Agency shall submit a report to the Committee on International Relations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate re

garding the steps taken pursuant to paragraph (1) and the status of planning for construction of a new bridge across the Panama Canal.

(c) ASSISTANCE FOR SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT

24 PROJECT IN PANAMA.—

25

26

(1) ACTION BY TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY.-The Director of the Trade and Develop