This source located below is a detailed account of the current Panama Canal treaty negotiations of the time. It also goes into detail on the background and current status of relations. This report came at a time of high tensions between the two countries. Protests and public unrest had created animosity and it was clear that something had to change. This document’s purpose was to give the president and staff an update on the situation and possible solutions to solve it. The report was created by the state department and is signed by Dick Cheney. Cheney, the presidential chief of staff was sending the memo internally to “Kathie” who is instructed to keep it confidential and store it for future reference.
This document illustrates the issues that the United States is having with Panama. The issues that are occurring as a result of U.S. presence in Panama are showing. There are protests as a result of the U.S. Still controlling the canal. This document is important to the project because it illustrates how the relationship between the two countries is weak. It also shows the foundation for the new treaty that will be completed in 1977. The U.S. Is talking about what they will do and how much they will compromise in order to maintain a decent foreign tie to Panama.
Primary Source:
Full Document:
State Department, “Panama Canal Treaty Negotiations“, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library (1976)