Assoc. Press re: road linking the Americas
Found this on AP, doesn't sound like Panama is too enthused:
CARTAGENA, Colombia - The presidents of Panama and Colombia Monday discussed building a road linking North and South America.
Panama's Martin Torrijos and Alvaro Uribe of Colombia also addressed electricity sharing and the possible construction of a natural gas pipeline that would send gas to Panama.
Uribe said he formally asked the Panamanian government to study the feasibility of building the road. Currently, highways span the continents from Alaska to Argentina, except for an 85-mile stretch in the jungles of the Darien Gap straddling the Colombian-Panamanian border.
Uribe said he considers this highway to be of "huge importance." While Torrijos said Panama "has taken note" of Uribe's request, he said his country is studying "better environmental alternatives."
Environmentalists say such a link would increase development and deforestation. Many Panamanians fear a road would cause more violence related to Colombia's 40-year rebel conflict to spill into their country.
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Andy Tiegs
http://www.tiegs.com
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