(6 Jan 2009) SHOTLIST
1. Various of Panama president Martin Torrijos walking towards statue and unveiling monument alongside Cuban vice-president Jose Machado Ventura
2. Wide of crowd around monument dedicated to General Omar Torrijos, father of Martin Torrijos
3. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Martin Torrijos, Panamanian President:
"This monument represents the relationship of solidarity and brotherhood between Cuba and Panama which continues and gets stronger with time. These two countries always found time to understood each other and everyday, step by step, this relationship becomes more solid."
4. Wide of monument
5. Torrijos and Cuban President Raul Castro shaking hands
6. Honour Guard marching inside Palace ceremonial room
7. Mid of Castro with Cuban Parliament President Ricardo Alarcon
8. Mid of Torrijos and Vivian Fernandez, First Lady of Panama
9. Pan left as Castro approaches Torrijos with medal
10. Castro pins medal on Torrijos and they embrace
11. Cutaway Panamanian delegation
12. Torrijos presents medal for former leader Fidel Castro to Raul Castro
13. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Raul Castro, Cuban President:
"I thank you on behalf of the Commander-in-Chief of the Revolution, Fidel Castro. The Panamanian government's decision to bestow this order upon him is a gesture we Cubans are grateful for due to its significance."
14. Wide of delegations and cameramen
STORYLINE
Panamanian President Martin Torrijos on Monday, unveiled a monument dedicated to his father, General Omar Torrijos, in the Cuban capital of Havana.
Omar Torrijos was a personal friend of both Cuban President Raul Castro and his brother, Fidel Castro, former leader of Cuba.
Martin Torrijos, arrived in Cuba on Saturday for an official visit to express his solidarity with Cuba's revolution which turned 50 just days ago.
Later Monday, Torrijos went to Havana's Palace of the Revolution for an official reception with Raul Castro.
During the red-carpet affair, Castro bestowed Cuba's highest honour upon Torrijos, the Jose Marti Medal.
Torrijos then gave one of Panama's highest honours, an order named after his deceased father Omar, to Fidel Castro.
Raul Castro accepted the decoration on behalf of his brother and thanked the Panamanian people.
Castro and Torrijos held official talks at the palace, though the subject matter of their conversation was not released to the media.
There were no further details forthcoming as to his agenda on the island or whether he was expected to meet with ailing revolutionary leader Fidel Castro.
During his previous visit in mid 2008, Torrijos met with both brothers.
He was one of the select few who were able to meet personally with the 82-year-old Fidel Castro who has not been seen in public since July of 2006.
Panama and Cuba share about 200 million US dollars in annual trade, and cooperate closely on social programmes for medical assistance and energy-saving strategies.
Torrijos is the front-runner in a presidential visit marathon of sorts to the island nation in 2009.
Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa is expected to visit later this week and a few days after that Argentine president Cristina Fernandez will arrive in Havana.
In February, Chilean president Michelle Bachelet will be in Cuba for an official visit to be followed shortly by Mexico's Felipe Calderon.
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