BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE PANAMA CANAL PREPARED FOR THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS UNITED STATES SENATE BY CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS NOVEMBER 1977 Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Relations U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON: 1977 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Stock Number 052-070-04307-5 FOREWORD In connection with its consideration of the proposed Panama Canal agreements, the Foreign Relations Committee some time ago requested the Library of Congress to pull together the basic background documents pertaining to the Canal issue. This volume is the result of the committee's request and the Library's response to it. The Panama Canal issue, in an historical sense, has been very much a part of the history of the United States since the 1820's. Indeed, the Nation's interest in an isthmian canal spans more than 150 years, or three-quarters of our history since independence. This volume is an expression of that interest. It contains everything from Secretary of State Clay's instructions on the Canal issue in May of 1826 to U.S. representatives attending the Panama Congress to the Carter-Torrijos understanding of October 14, 1977, relating to the proposed neutrality agreement. In total, the volume contains nearly 200 papers, statements, agreements, correspondence, reports, messages, legislative acts, court decisions and other assorted material related to this very important, but highly controversial issue. In short, I believe this volume is a well-balanced compilation of the major, as well as minor, background documents bearing on the agreements now before the Senate. I hope that it contributes to a better understanding of the issue and that Members of both the Senate and the House find it a useful reference tool. Finally, I want to thank the Library of Congress, and in particular Larry Storrs, analyst in Latin American Affairs, Foreign Affairs and National Defense Division, for their assistance and cooperation in bringing all of this material together in a very usable form. (III) JOHN SPARKMAN, Chairman. |