Free journey for US warships is the aim | EUROtoday

The US authorities and Panama wish to safe American warships a free and first passage via the Panama Canal. Both governments would work out a corresponding regulation, introduced US protection minister Pete Hegseth in Panama City. According to the Panamaic Minister of Channel Affairs, José Ramón Icaza, the United States would compensate for the default charges, for instance.

“We will look for a mechanism,” mentioned Icaza. It will not be concerning the decree of the charges. The United States would compensate for it via consideration. Contractually, the Central American nation will not be allowed to grant particular person states particular rights within the passage of the necessary waterway between the Atlantic and the Pacific. US President Donald Trump has been claiming the Panama Canal since taking workplace. The Republican threatened to get the channel again for the United States.

In Panama, Hegseth averted talking of 1 -sided measures in his nation. “When President Trump says that we bring the Panama channel back from the Chinese influence, it means a partnership between the United States and Panama,” mentioned Hegseth at a press convention with Panama’s Security Minister, Frank Ábrego.

When requested by a journalist as as to if the United States acknowledged Panama’s sovereignty over the canal, he replied: “The Panama Canal is in Panama and it is important to protect the panamaic sovereignty from malicious influence”. In Panama, the strengthening of navy cooperation was agreed.

Trump says China controls the waterway. Panama rejects this declare. The canal was constructed by the engineering corps of the US military at first of the twentieth century. On December 31, 1999, the United States handed over the administration to Panama.