MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands’ delegation meets in Panama with keen interest in referendum results

Dalia Bernal, president of the Foreign Affairs Committee next to MLA Barry Elsby and Ms Krysteen Ormond

Panama City. (Special for MercoPress). As part of an on-going tour of Central America, Falkland Islands lawmaker Dr Barry Elsby and young Islander Krysteen Ormond spent four days in Panama building links and sharing the results of the Islands’ historic March 10/1 referendum.

“It’s been excellent few days in Panama. The country is so bustling and lively, everything is new and exciting,” explained Krysteen, “but best of all is the willingness of the Panamanians to sit down and chat to us about the Islands.”

In what has been a very comprehensive program, Member of the Legislative Assembly Elsby and Krysteen met with Dalia Bernal from Panama’s National Assembly Foreign Affairs Commission and with former Deputy Foreign Minister Francisco Alvarez de Soto.

Minutes before meeting with the delegation, Mr. de Soto cheerfully tweeted: “I have been invited by @ukinpanama to meet with reps of #@FalklandsIslandsGov., visiting Panama. Interests of inhabitants cannot be ignored.” [@FAlvarezDeSoto]

The president of the Foreign Affairs Committee, the Honourable Ms Beranl was keen to listen to the Falklands’ delegation and asked several questions.
However she also pointed out that the Committee’s job was to listen to both sides of the dispute and that Panamanian foreign policy is determined by the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Ms Bernal pointed out that Panama has excellent relations with both sides (UK and Argentina) and “can’t decide or determine the position any of the two sides must assume”.

The Falklands delegation also took the time to visit the Miraflores Locks on the famous Panama Canal, and learn the important role that Panamanian control over the canal has played in the rapid growth of the country.

Thursday evening saw a reception held in MLA Elsby honour at the Ambassador’s Residence, with a wide mix of Panamanian society in attendance, from diplomatic staff to journalists to businessmen and women. All were keen to listen to the speeches made by Chargé d’affaires Karl Burrows, MLA Elsby and Krysteen, and a video montage made following the 2012 visit to the Islands by Latin American new correspondents was shown.

In keeping a youthful connection between young islander Krysteen and the countries being visited, a lively Q&A session took place at the respected Universidad Latina de Panamá, with some seventy international relations and law students in attendance.

Following the session, several students approached MLA Elsby to say they could see no legal reason for the continued refusal by some countries in the region of the right to self-determination for Falkland Islanders.

In summarising the trip, MLA Elsby commented “Panama has shown yet again that it is one of the leading countries in Central America. Its confidence in its own democratic processes means that it is keen to listen to our message. Everyone we have spoken to agrees that the result of the referendum cannot be ignored”

The tour of Central America continues, with MLA Elsby and Ms Ormond currently visiting Tegucigalpa in Honduras.