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The World - News from July 21, 1989

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Organization of American States foreign ministers approved a declaration calling for a democratic transfer of power in Panama on Sept. 1, followed by free elections. But the 31-nation body neither spelled out the meaning of “transfer of power” nor fixed a target date for elections. Deputy Secretary of State Lawrence S. Eagleburger said the resolution, which has no legal force, means that military strongman Manuel A. Noriega “must go.” But Panamanian Foreign Minister Jorge Ritter said it means only that a replacement should be found by Sept. 1 for Manuel Solis Palma, Noriega’s current puppet civilian president.

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