Panama City – Panama President Jose Raul Mulino said on Thursday that there would be no conversation with the United States on the ownership of the Panama Canal, and he hopes that US Secretary Marco Rubio’s upcoming visit to him on shared interests including migration and combing drugs Will allow to concentrate. Smuggling.
Being a destination for the first foreign trip by the top American diplomat, as a destination for Panama in any case, Rubio comes as the messenger of US President Donald Trump, who repeatedly suggested the US to withdraw the Panama Canal Has given
On his inauguration day, Trump claimed that American ships were “seriously overcharged and were not anyhore, in size or form properly behave properly,” Given that “above that” top, China Panama above, Chinese Panama. Is operating the canal. ” He had earlier said that America could demand a canal.
Mulino on Thursday tried to reduce tension at its weekly press conference. He said about the desire to clarify the confusion about China’s role in the canal – a Hong Kong Consortium manages the ports at both ends, but the Panama controls the canal – and to establish a diplomatic relationship with China Defected an predecessor.
“It’s impossible, I can’t talk,” Mulino said that when asked about returning the canal on US control. “He is done. The canal is of Panama. ,
The United States built the canal in the early 1900s as it was looking for methods of transit of commercial and military ships between its shores. In 1977, under a treaty signed by President Jimmy Carter, Washington abandoned the control of Panama’s waterway on 31 December 1999.
Mulino said, “The only thing I want is to clean all the waste through the way, clean the table and be able to talk with the United States and very clearly” immigration, security and drugs ” Regarding issues, including the fight against smuggling, Mulino said.
Rubio is scheduled to meet with Mulino on Sunday and visit the canal.