90. Memorandum From Secretary of State Vance to President Carter1

[Omitted here is information unrelated to Panama.]

4. Connally: I talked to John Connally today about the Panama Canal. He has agreed to come to Washington on September 8. He will be meeting with Sol Linowitz in the morning and will have lunch with me afterwards. I will let you know the results of our talk on the 8th. John says that he will make the decision solely on the basis of what is good for our national security.2

5. Panama: The English and Spanish texts of the major Panama Canal agreements are now complete, and the detailed Treaty annexes and maps will shortly be available for reproduction. This progress is the result of virtually round-the-clock negotiations by legal experts and other specialists during the weekend.

As of afternoon fifteen states had formally indicated to the OAS that their heads of state or government would attend the September 7 signing ceremony.3

Ambassadors Bunker and Linowitz briefed the American Republic Ambassadors to the U.S. and to the OAS in the Department, late August [Page 271] 29.4 The Ambassadors asked very few questions. They expressed pleasure at the successful conclusion of the Treaties.

  1. Source: Carter Library, Plains Files, Subject File, Box 12, State Department Evening Reports, 8/77. Secret. Carter initialed the memorandum and wrote: “Cy.”
  2. Carter wrote in the left margin: “I’m sure there will be no personal considerations” in the left margin. Connally, who had served as governor of Texas and Nixon’s Treasury Secretary, was critical of Ford’s efforts to negotiate a treaty with Panama. (Panama Odyssey, p. 290) He also criticized the Carter administration’s treaty efforts. See William Claiborne, “GOP, Finessing Ford View, Assails Canal Pact,” Washington Post, October 1, 1977, p. A1.
  3. Carter wrote in the left margin: “Push for others to attend.”
  4. No record of meeting minutes has been found.