Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration the Hon. Frederick Mitchell (left) shakes hands with Special Envoy from Panama Ambassador Guillermo Cochez, after a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on August 20, 2013. (BIS Photo / Eric Rose)
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Nassau, Bahamas - Earlier today, Tuesday 20
August, 2013, the Minister of National Security, the Honourable Dr.
Bernard Nottage and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration,
the Honourable Frederick Mitchell met with the Special Envoy from Panama, Ambassador
Guillermo Cochez and Mr. David McGrath, the Honorary Consul of Panama
in The Bahamas.
The Government of The Bahamas received an explanation
from the Panamanian Government as to why a public announcement was made
before it was formally communicated to The Bahamas and has accepted
the explanation.
The discussion centred on the proposal by Panama
to receive a number of illegal Cuban migrants currently in legal detention
in The Bahamas and adjudged by international criteria to be political
refugees. At the end of the short meeting, it was agreed that
the discussions should continue in the near future.