3

1

(6) A 1977 protocol to the Treaty Concerning

2

the Permanent Neutrality and Operation of the Pan

3

ama Canal provides that "Nothing in the treaty

shall preclude the Republic of Panama and the United States from making agreements or arrangements for the stationing of any United States

military forces or the maintenance of defense sites

8

after (December 31, 1999) in Panama that Panama

9.

and the United States may deem necessary or ap

10

propriate".

11.:

12

(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.

13

14

15

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

sible extension beyond December 31, 1999, of a

21.

United States presence in Panama.

22

(9) Early discussions pursuant to the announce

23

ment of September 6, 1995, were very encouraging,

24

but the discussions foundered after the United

25

States refused to consider providing any form of

4

1

compensation to Panama in exchange for an exten

2

sion of the United States presence in Panama.

3

(10) After it became clear that no agreement

4

5

could be reached on extending the United States presence in Panama past 1999 in its customary form, Panama proposed negotiations on the estab

6

7

lishment of a Multinational Counternarcotics Center

8

(MCC), which would permit the continuation of a

9

limited United States presence in Panama past 1999

10

and for which no compensation would be expected.

(11) On December 24, 1997, the United States

11

12

and Panama announced that preliminary agreement

13

had been reached on establishment of the MCC, but

(12) Following rejection by the voters of Pan

18

ama on August 30, 1998, of a proposed constitu

19

tional amendment to permit President Perez

20

21

Balladares to seek reelection, the United States and
Panama announced on September 24, 1998, that the
MCC negotiations had failed and would be termi-

(13) Panama and the United States continue to

25

have a strong shared interest in maintaining &

8 At any time after the date of the enactment of this Act, 9 the President may submit to the Committee on Inter

10 national Relations of the House of Representatives and

11 the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate the cer

12 tification described in subsection (b) and the report de

13 scribed in subsection (c).

14

(b) CONTEXT OF CERTIFICATIOX.--The certification

15 referred to in subsection (a) is a certification by the Presi

16 dent that the United States and the Government of Pan

17 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 counter

21 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

(1) The text of the agreement described in sub

6

section (b) that has been reached between the

7

United States and the Government of Panama.

8

(2) A detailed explanation of the manner in

9

which the agreement ensures that the United States

10

will be able to use the facilities subject to the agree

11

ment under terms and conditions substantially simi

12

lar to those that applied during the period beginning

13

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

(3) If the agreement provides for a United

16

17

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

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

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

2

(a) IN GENERAL.-If the President submits the cer

3 tification and report under section 3, then the provisions

8

AGENCY.-The Director of the Trade and Develop

9

10

ment Agency shall consider a grant or grants to assist in the design, financial planning, training, and other preparatory steps for the construction of a

11

12

new bridge across the Panama Canal.

13

(2) REPORTING REQCIREMENT.-Not later than

14

1 year after the date on which the President submits

15

the certification and report under section 3, the Di

16

17

rector of the Trade and Development Agency shall submit a report to the Committee on International Relations of the House of Representatives and the

18

19

Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate re

20

garding the steps taken pursuant to paragraph (1) and the status of planning for construction of a new

26

AGENCY.–The Director of the Trade and Develop