PANAMA: Cuba and Panama announce talks to decrease tarrifs

Record ID: 264279

  • Title: PANAMA: Cuba and Panama announce talks to decrease tarrifs
  • Date: 3rd March 2007
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FELIPE PEREZ ROQUE, CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER, SAYING: "The accord with Panama is in line with moves to intensify the effort to to eliminate these barriers, and also facilitates the norms between both countries that facilitate commerce. A wide range of products will be present. Cuba buys in Panama, of Panamanian origin past the zone of Colon, a wide rang
  • Embargoed: 18th March 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Panama
  • Country: Panama
  • Topics: International Relations,Health
  • Reuters ID: LVA44OW18GNQYWP90LU4HVU0MICC
  • Story Text: Cuba and Panama announced on Friday (March 2) that they will begin bilateral talks that will include a partial reduction and tariffs to spur commerce and investment.
    The announcement comes on the second day of Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque's two-day visit during which he inaugurated an eye clinic funded by Cuba.
    Torrijos thanked the Cubans for funding the health project, one of several eye clinics Cuba is opening in Central America.
    "It's here in the centre of the country where we can have, from now on, operations so that the humble people of our country can be attended to and can live with dignity, as human being. It fills us with much satisfaction," he told the crowd.
    Thousands of Cuban doctors are sent overseas for humanitarian assistance and as part of trade agreements.
    Perez Roque said the talks to decrease tariffs are a move in the right direction.
    "The accord with Panama is in line with moves to intensify the effort to to eliminate these barriers, and also facilitates the norms between both countries that facilitate commerce. A wide range of products will be present. Cuba buys in Panama, of Panamanian origin past the zone of Colon, a wide range of products, equipment, prime materials and also there are important Cuban export items here in Panama like cement, tobacco, rum, pharmaceutical biotechnological products and other products," Perez Roque said.
    Officials did not set a date for the tariff talks which they hope will eventually stimulate trade. Currently, trade between the two countries is only about US 50 million United States dollars.

    TRADE RELATIONS
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