March 2 (UPI) -- The government of Panama has launched a diplomatic push to expand international support for the Permanent Neutrality Treaty of the Panama Canal by formally inviting 12 countries to adhere to its protocol.
Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha Vásquez led the initiative during an official visit to Mexico over the weekend, within the framework of meetings with concurrent ambassadors accredited to the country.
According to the Foreign Ministry, adherence to the treaty represents a "legal guarantee of global trade" and a political signal of support for international law, as well as an act of confidence in Panama as a "safe, stable and predictable" nation, the local newspaper La Prensa reported.
The Neutrality Treaty, signed in 1977 as part of the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, establishes that the canal must remain open and accessible for the peaceful transit of vessels of all nations, both in times of peace and conflict.
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