CEREMONIAL TRANSFER

December 14, 1999
		Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso led ceremonies in Panama City Tuesday to mark the U.S. turnover of the Panama Canal.

Online Special The Panama Canal Sept. 21, 1999: The School of Americas in Panama Dec. 18, 1992: Panama after Manuel Noriega Aug. 17, 1977: Debating the Panama Canal Treaty Browse the NewsHour's coverage of Latin America     The Panama Canal Commission The U.S. State Department	This begins a new chapter in U.S.- Latin American relations, said Vince Ryan, a member of the Panama Canal Commission. He said the turnover shows that the U.S. does not view the region as a colony to be dominated. The U.S. can now form a genuine partnership with Latin nations, Ryan said. Carter, who signed the treaty that paved the road to this day in 1977, formally placed the Panama Canal into Panamanian hands with the simple words, "it's yours." "Today we are gathered in the spirit of mutual respect, acknowledging without question the full sovereignty of Panama," Carter told hundreds of Panamanian and foreign dignitaries gathered at the Miraflores Locks at the Canal's Pacific entrance. In a prepared statement issued just before the ceremonies, Panama's president praised "the consolidation of our sovereignty and the recovery of our national territory." "Our final objective is to guarantee safe, efficient and uninterrupted operation of the waterway to satisfy our customers and to benefit our country," she wrote. Although President Clinton did not participate in the events in Panama, he issued a statement in which he supported the final turnover. "Today's ceremony underscores our confidence in the government of Panama and the Panamanian people's ability to manage this vital artery of commerce," Clinton said in a written statement. "It also signals our continuing commitment to the security of the canal, as enshrined in our treaty obligations, and our determination to work with Panama and the many other countries that use the canal to ensure that it remains open to the world's shipping and commerce." But some conservatives believe the U.S. should have retained control of the canal. They believe that the Hong Kong company charged with running the canal's ports has links to China's army. They fear that China will station weapons and spies along the canal. Only about a dozen U.S. soldiers remain in the Panama Canal Zone. They will finish packing and head out over the next two weeks. U.S. control of the canal officially ends Dec. 31.

REGIONS TOPICS RECENT PROGRAMS ABOUT US FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS / FEEDS:

Support the kind of journalism done by the NewsHour...Become a member of your local PBS station.
PBS Online Privacy Policy Copyright ©1996- MacNeil/Lehrer Productions. All Rights Reserved.