Video: Secretary Clinton's Remarks With Panamanian Vice President and Foreign Minister Juan Carlos Varela

Remarks With Panamanian Vice President and Foreign Minister Juan Carlos Varela Before Their Meeting

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Treaty Room

Washington, DC

September 30, 2010

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SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, it is a great pleasure to welcome the vice president and foreign minister from Panama here today. I’ve had the opportunity of already working with him. We last met in Lima during the OAS Assembly there, and I’m looking forward to having an in-depth discussion about all of the issues we face.

VICE PRESIDENT VARELA: Thank you, Secretary of State. I’m very happy to be here in Washington today in this meeting with Secretary of State Clinton. The United States is a key partner for Panama, and we can work very closely in the region to make a more secure region. I’m looking forward to – for future agreements to be ratified with Congress in the future, to strengthen our relationship, and make sure that we keep working together to make this a more secure effort for all the people that live here. So, I’m very happy to be here and I’m looking forward to the meeting too.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you so much, Juan Carlos.

VICE PRESIDENT VARELA: Thank you very much.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you. Thank you all very much.