Costa Rica and Panama unite efforts against drug trafficking

The presence of illegal drug traficking groups in the border of Costa Rica and Panama has motivated both Governments to fortify patrolling and vigilance in order to reduce drug trafficking. 

This is one of the points that has become part of the Association Agreement signed yesterday in the Presidential Headquarters of Panama by the Costa Rican president, Oscar Arias, and its Panamanian counterpart, Ricardo Martinelli.

In this sense, the Panamanian chancellor, Juan Carlos Varela, emphasized yesterday in a press conference, the decision of both Governments to take measures to fortify the frontier security. 

"The presence of illegal groups that want to utilize our countries to be able to move drug northward has become a problem", assured Varela. 

Due to this, like part of the agreement, there will be a creation of a binational commission that will take care of finding a solution to such threat. 

The Agreement also covers other areas of interest for the two countries, as explained by the Costa Rican chancellor, Bruno Stagno, who also witnessed the signing of the agreement. 

According to Stagno, the document centers around three large pillars: political dialogue, cooperation and commercial environment, that is supported by the Free Trade Agreement that was already signed by both nations in 2002. 

Besides, Costa Rica vouched for Panama to be incorporated in the negotiations with the European Union, without the need to adhere to the System of Economic Integration of Central America. 

The foreign trade minister, Vinicio Ruiz, who was also present in the signing of the treaty, has followed such reunions closely. 

President Arias and Panamanian president Martinelli told the press that they discussed the possibility to build a railroad that connects both countries. 

Nevertheless, they coincided that for the time being such railroad is nothing more than a dream and an idea.

"If over a hundred years ago the Panamanians built a channel, why not dream of a railroad?  Such a thing would be marvelous.  It would require an extremely abundant investment and prior feasibility studies", commented president Arias.