TREATIES AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL ACTS SERIES 13043 

________________________________________________________________________ 

CEMETERY 

 Agreement Between the 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

and PANAMA 

Signed at Panama City June 11, 1999 

 
 NOTE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

 Pursuant to Public Law 89—497, approved July 8, 1966 

(80 Stat. 271; 1 U.S.C. 113)—

“. . .the Treaties and Other International Acts Series issued 

under the authority of the Secretary of State shall be competent 

 evidence . . . of the treaties, international agreements other than 

treaties, and proclamations by the President of such treaties and 

international agreements other than treaties, as the case may be, 

therein contained, in all the courts of law and equity and of maritime 

jurisdiction, and in all the tribunals and public offices of the 

United States, and of the several States, without any further proof 

or authentication thereof.” 
 PANAMA 

 Cemetery 

Agreement signed at Panama City June 11, 1999; 

Entered into force June 27, 2000. 
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF

PANAMA CONCERNING USE OF THE

COROZAL CEMETERY

The Government of the United States of America and

the Government of the Republic of Panama (hereinafter

also, "the Parties"), in consideration of the significant

historic value of the Corozal Cemetery, located in

Panamanian territory, and in light of the spiritual

significance of the fact in those grounds lie the remains of

persons who worked in Panama at different times and

whose memory constitutes the patrimony of numerous

families in both countries, have agreed to the following:

1. The Republic of Panama, for the purpose of

preserving the cemetery's historic and spiritual

attributes, makes available to the United States of

America the exclusive use of the parcel of land of the

Corozal area described in detail in the maps set forth in

the Annex to this Agreement. This parcel of land, known

as "The Corozal American Cemetery" or "the Corozal

American Cemetery and Memorial", is hereinafter referred

to as "the Area".

2. For the purposes of this Agreement, the United

States of America designates as the authority responsible

for administration of the cemetery the specialized civil

organization known as the "American Battle Monuments

Commission", which is the institution charged with the

maintenance of United States historic cemeteries abroad,

or any other succeeding institution (hereafter, "the

Designated Authority").

3. For the purposes of providing adequate care and

maintenance for the cemetery, the United States of

America may erect tombstones and surrounding walls,

build roads, or inside trails or sidewalks, construct

commemorative monuments, streets, utilities, and

buildings necessary for providing adequate care and

maintenance for the cemetery, and in general, adopt the

NOTE: Maps will not be printed in this publication. These Maps are filed in the archives of

the Department of State.
necessary measures for the beautification and

maintenance of the Area. Installations that were present

before entry into force of this Agreement shall be

respected, and proposals for future installations other

than those authorized by this Agreement shall be

examined by the Republic of Panama and the Embassy of

the United States.

4. The Republic of Panama shall grant the United

States of America access to all public services necessary

for the use of the Area. The terms and conditions for

such use, prices, interest rates, and tariffs shall not be.

discriminatory nor shall they exceed those applicable to

the official institutions of the Republic of Panama.

5. It is understood that the intended use for the

Area requires respect and dignity. Consequently, the

Republic of Panama shall prohibit the building of

structures of any sort, or the performance of temporary

or permanent activities, if such structure or activity

would be incompatible with the nature or aesthetics of

the Area. Likewise, the Republic of Panama shall

prohibit the establishment of private or public easements

or other encumbrances that could affect or obstruct the

use for which the Area is intended.

6. Third parties shall not be permitted to use any

part of the Area. If the entire Area or any part thereof

ceases to be used for the purpose stipulated in this

Agreement, use of the Area will revert to the Republic of

Panama.

7. The United States of America may inhume or

exhume bodies of United States citizens and their

dependents. The following persons shall be considered

dependents of United States citizens:

a) Persons who, before entry into force of this

Agreement, have reserved parcels of land in the Area;

b) Persons who have close relatives interred in

the Area; and
c) Other persons, as determined by the

Designated Authority.

8. The United States of America shall adopt the

necessary measures to avoid public health risks in

connection with the transfer of mortal remains to be

interred in the Area or relocated in any other installation,

as well as, in general, in regard to compliance with the

responsibilities set forth in this Agreement.

9. Inhumations, exhumations, and transfers shall

be exempt from fiscal charges by the Republic of Panama.

Similarly, use the Area, non-removable improvements

made in the Area, and articles, materials, equipment and

other personal property (regardless of whether they are of

national or foreign origin) used by the United States of

America in furtherance of this Agreement, shall be free of

direct or indirect taxes or charges. This exemption shall

also apply to firms hired for the provisions of a service

directly related to the administration of the Corozal

American Cemetery, but only with regards to such

service. In these cases, the right of the Republic of

Panama to retain or collect taxes that may have been

paid, or may be due by, third parties with respect to acts

preceding the contracted service shall remain unaffected.

10. U.S. nationals designated by the United States

of America as responsible for the execution of this

Agreement, as well as their dependents, shall be accorded

privileges and immunities equivalent to those of the

administrative and technical personnel of the United

States Embassy.

11. The terms, conditions and requirements for the

hiring of Panamanian nationals by the United States of

America for purposes of this Agreements shall conform to

the labor provisions of the Republic of Panama.

12. Since the Area is part of the territory of the

Republic of Panama, such Area and its installations shall

be under the Panamanian flag. However, as a symbol of

tribute to the historic nature of the cemetery, the United

States flag may be displayed alongside the Panamanian
flag, but the Panamanian flag shall occupy the position

of honor. The representatives designated by the Parties

for this purpose shall agree on the manner in which the

flags shall be displayed in instances of national

mourning.

13. Any difference that may arise in relation to the

interpretation of this Agreement shall be resolved by the

Parties through the diplomatic channel.

14. This Agreement shall enter into force once both

Parties have notified each other through the diplomatic

channel that their respective domestic processes for

approval or ratification, as applicable, of the Agreement

have been completed. The Agreement may be terminated

by mutual consent of the Parties.

Done at Panama City, on the 11th day of June of 1999,

in the Spanish and English languages, both texts being

equally authentic.

FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF

THE UNITED STATES OF

AMERICA

FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF

THE REPUBLIC OF PANAMA

SIMON FERRO	EDGAR SPENCE HERRERA

Ambassador to Panama	Viceminister of Foreign

Relations