President Lee Teng-hui has accepted an invitation from Panamanian President Ernesto Perez Balladares to attend the World Congress on the Panama Canal scheduled for September 1997.
Mr. Jose Luis Sosa, head of Panama's National Police Administration who arrived in Taipei on October 27 as an emissary of President Balladares, presents the invitation to President Lee this afternoon.
Mr. Sosa notes that President Lee is the first Asian leader invited to the World Congress on the Panama Canal, which is expected to discuss management and development of the canal after control over the transport channel is transferred from the United States to Panama in the year 2000. He also says that his country will assuredly benefit from President Lee's invaluable suggestions in regard to the future development of the canal.
President Lee gladly accepts the invitation and asks Mr. Sosa to convey his hearty appreciation to President Balladares. It is his belief that bilateral relations between the ROC and Panama will be greatly enhanced in the future, the President points out.
Mr. Sosa is accompanied by H.E. Carlos A. Mendoza, Panamanian Ambassador to the ROC, to the Office of the President for the meeting. ROC Foreign Minister John Chang, Deputy Secretary-General Stephen S.F. Chen of the Office of the President, and Director Yin Tsung-wen of the National Security Bureau are also present.