PANAMA NERVOUS ABOUT CUBAN PRESENCE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78S01932A000100190024-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 24, 1999
• Sequence Number: 24
• Publication Date: December 13, 1974
• Content Type: CABLE

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c-Apprrowed For Release 2000/08/31 : CIA-RDP78S01932A000100190024-2
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TO: IMMEDIATE WHITE HOUSE//SITAUTION ROOM FOR MR FAZIO.Y
WARNING NOTICE SENSITIVE INTELLIGENCE SOURCES AND METHODS
INVOLVED
ITEM NO: WH) DATE: 13 DECEMBER 1974
SUBJECT: PANAMA NERVOUS ABOUT CUBAN PRESENCE
25X1 C
THE TORRIJOS GOVERNMENT IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE RAPID EXPANSION
OF THE CUBAN PRESENCE IN PANAMA SINCE THE TWO COUNTRIES REESTABLISHED
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS LAST AUGUST
THE CUBANS HAD EON-
SIDERAGLY EXCEEDED THE LIMITS ON THE NUMBER OF DIPLOMATIC PERSONNEL)
WHICH HAD BEEN SET BY PANAMA. THE SOMEWHAT ABRASIVE PERSONALITY
OF CUBAN AMBASSADOR JOSE ALFREDO GARCIA BERTRAND ALSO SEEMS TO
HAVE IRRITATED THE PANAMANIANS. AN APPARENT INDICATION OF THE
TORRIJOS REGIME'S CURRENT DISPLEASURE IS THE DESIGNATION OF ONE
NATIONAL GUARD G-2 OFFICER TO BE THE CONTACT POINT FOR THE CUBANS;
FORMERLY THEY HAD ALMOST UNLIMITED ACCESS TO THE G-2.
DATE:
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AGE COI AC- TOG TPE ~~LL MRB Oct TRI
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S NFD/NDA/BUO/CD
SOURCE REE:
MISSION WAS !MOVING VERY SLOWLY IN ORDER TO AVOID MISUNDERSTANDINGS
BETWEEN THE TWO GOVT RNMENTS, THE CUBANS SEEM TO HAVE BEEN MOVING
TOO FAST FOR TOIRRIJOS.
25X11C
THE CUBANS PLACE A VERY HIGH PRIORITY ON MAINTAINING GOOD
RELATIONS WITH THE TORRIJOS GOVERNMENT AND PROBABLY WOULD BE
WILLING TO PULL BACK SOME DIPLOMATS AND TAKE OTHER STEPS TO AVOID
FRIECTION. ONE SIGN THAT THE CUBAeS-L4 MAY HAVE- GOTTEN THE MESSAGE
IS THEIR DECISION NOT TO PRESS RIGHT NOW FOR AN AIR
AGREEMENT ALLOWING CUBAN' AIRLINES TO SERVE PANAMA. E--2 IMPDET. r6
uN-T: CIA OPS CT: 25X1A
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DATE: 1.1: !i[.1. f 4
0RIG HSS
-[SPECIAL DISTiNIC UTION: WH DIV AND NIO
2 IMP'CET
CL BY GOa 3?1
Approved For Release 2000/08/31 : CIA=RDP78S01932A000100190024-2
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