Obama, Panama leader talk security, trade

WASHINGTON, April 28 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama and Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli discussed free trade and other issues during their White House meeting Thursday.

In an appearance before reporters following the closed-door talks, Obama expressed confidence an agreement can be worked out.

"We are confident now that a free trade agreement would be good for our country, would create jobs here in the United States, open up new markets with potential for billions of dollars of cross-border trade. We think it would be also very good for Panama and allow additional economic exchanges between our two countries," Obama said. "So my expectation is, is that as part of a broader trade package that we're going to be presenting to Congress, that we're going to be able to get this done. And I want to thank again President Martinelli for his leadership on this issue."

"Panama has completed all the necessary steps in order to have a free trade agreement with the U.S. This new agreement will bring jobs for both countries," Martinelli said. "It will also bring growth for the United States and for Panama.

"The United States is Panama's main and biggest ally, and we have always looked to the United States as our main supplier for many goods and services."

The two leaders also discussed security matters, human rights, press freedoms and other issues important to the region.

Ahead of the meeting, Martinelli said Panama would merge its customs and immigration bureaus, following the U.S. model.

"Panama is the first frontier of the United States in terms of security," Martinelli said Wednesday after meeting with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director John T. Morton and U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, whose department runs ICE.

Martinelli spoke after receiving 99 Panamanian artifacts, dating from the years A.D. 1 to 1500, that the U.S. Customs Service, now part of ICE, recovered in California and Oregon in a lengthy investigation.

"Sadly, the theft and trafficking of cultural artifacts is one of the oldest forms of organized cross-border crime," Hispanically Speaking News quoted Morton as saying.

The pre-Columbian artifacts, which Morton said were "a treasure of great historical significance for Panama," include ancient three-legged tables known as "mutates," or mealing stones, used for grinding maize kernels. They also include pottery vessels, figurines and pedestal plates from the pre-European Mesoamerican time when Panama was widely settled by indigenous Chibchan, Chocoan and Cueva peoples.

Panama was part of the Spanish Empire from 1538 to 1821.

The U.S.-Panama trade agreement, whose final hurdle was worked out April 18, is headed to Congress for approval, along with trade deals with Colombia and South Korea.