819.00/7–2148: Telegram
The Ambassador in Panama (Davis) to the Secretary of State
579. Upon insistent request of local press for comment on PRA proposal (Embtel 577, July 20 [21) I have issued following statement:
“The Embassy of United States has been asked to comment on the proposal appearing in yesterday’s press as having been made by the directorate of one political party to the electoral jury that the diplomatic representatives in Panama of the US and two other countries be invited to act as observers of the deliberations of that body.
“In the absence of any official notification from Panamanian Government that the matter in question has been duly acted upon by appropriate authorities and of any specific request for the views of the US Government, this Embassy considers it inappropriate to express any opinion on the subject matter of the proposal. It feels that any such comment might properly be regarded as an intrusion in a purely domestic matter and therefore contrary to the widely known and well established policy of the US Government regarding non-intervention in the domestic affairs of the sovereign countries of this hemisphere. This Embassy attaches great importance to the complete and consistent implementation of this policy.”
Above views have been communicated orally to my Mexican and Argentine colleagues who are in agreement therewith.