UN General Assembly
1986

We feel that the signing of the Torrijos-Carter Treaties should have put an end to our country's great struggle. The adoption of Law 96-70, however, has confronted us with a new struggle, which we Panamanians must today wage for the benefit of future generations. Panama will continue to comply faithfully with the obligations imposed on it as a partner in the Canal and will continue to do so in a spirit of full co-operation and good faith, secure in the knowledge that the sense of justice of those who forged the great democracy of the United States will also apply to the people living on the banks of the Canal. In response to the profound desire for peace which distinguishes the Panamanian people, I should like to take this opportunity to urge the Governments represented here which have not yet signed the protocol to the treaty on the neutrality of the Canal to consider the advisability of doing so without further delay - a step that would be a source of great satisfaction to us.