CP/DEC. 27 (1446/04)

COMMEMORATION OF THE TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ENTRY INTO FORCE
OF THE TORRIJOS-CARTER TREATIES ON THE PANAMA CANAL

(Adopted at its session held on September 29, 2004)

THE PERMANENT COUNCIL OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES,

CONSIDERING that the Panama Canal Treaties between the United States of America and Panama, member states of the Organization of American States represented by Jimmy Carter and Omar Torrijos Herrera, respectively, were signed at the Organization’s headquarters on September 7, 1977;

RECALLING that on the occasion of the signing of the Treaties, the Heads of State, Heads of Government, and Representatives of the American Republics signed the Declaration of Washington, recognizing “the importance for the Hemisphere, trade, and world navigation of agreements to ensure the accessibility and continued neutrality of the Panama Canal”;

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT that those Treaties, after being ratified in accordance with the respective constitutional procedures of both countries, entered into force on October 1, 1979;

RECALLING ALSO resolutions AG/RES. 324 (VIII-O/78), “Deposit with the General Secretariat of the OAS of the Treaty Concerning the Permanent Neutrality and Operation of the Panama Canal”; AG/RES. 427 (IX-O/79), “Call for Accession to the Protocol to the Treaty Concerning the Permanent Neutrality and Operation of the Panama Canal”; AG/RES. 1376 (XXVI-O/96), “The Panama Canal in the 21st Century”; AG/RES. 1379 (XXVI-O/96), “Universal Congress on the Panama Canal”; AG/RES. 1638 (XXIX-O/99), “The Panama Canal”; and CP/RES. 853 (1387/03), “Centennial of the Independence of the Republic of Panama”;

UNDERSCORING that on the date of execution of the Treaties a transitional process began, which culminated successfully on December 31, 1999, with the turnover of the Canal and the adjacent lands, waters, and facilities to the Republic of Panama;

EMPHASIZING that one of the principal objectives of the OAS, the peaceful settlement of disputes, was fully achieved with the conclusion and subsequent implementation of the Panama Canal Treaties; and

HAVING HEARD the presentations, in the Permanent Council, of the Permanent Representative of Panama, Ambassador Arístides Royo, and the Permanent Representative of the United States of America, Ambassador John Maisto, on the commemoration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the entry into force of the Torrijos-Carter Treaties on the Panama Canal,

DECLARES:

1. Its deep satisfaction and congratulations to the peoples and governments of the United States of America and Panama on the occasion of the celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the entry into force of the Torrijos-Carter Treaties on the Panama Canal.

2. Its gratification that the good will and cooperation between the United States of America and Panama have been reaffirmed as an example to the Hemisphere and the world of how, through negotiation, dialogue, and a spirit of equity, the just aspirations of Panama to recover full control of its territory and administer the interoceanic route, a task that it is carrying out with noteworthy success, were met.

3. Its praise for Panama’s efficient administration of the interoceanic waterway and for the country’s efforts to modernize it.