Panama is to hold talks with the United States on November 22 on the security of the Canal and cooperation in the next century, said Foreign Minister Jose Miguel Aleman.

He said that a delegation led by him will discuss in Washington with US Acting Assistant Secretary for Latin America, Peter Romero, the possibility of establishing a high level mechanism to handle the bilateral relations after the US returns the Canal to Panamanian sovereignty.

There is also the possibility to discuss the issue of Anti-drug Multilateral Center (CMA) on Monday and Tuesday, said Aleman.

The talks about the CMA failed last year because the two countries could not reach an agreement on its mission.

The US considers that the CMA could perform other missions besides fighting drug trafficking in the Canal Zone, which the former Panamanian administration saw as a military base under disguise.

Vice Panamanian Foreign Minister Harmodio Arias Cerjack said that the installation or presence of US military bases in Panama will not be negotiated in any way as they receive no support from the people.

However, Aleman did not dismiss the possibility of a plebiscite, so the Panamanian people will decide what must be done about the issue.

Local analysts said that whether the US presence will continue in Panama after the reversion of the Canal is important to the relations between the two countries.

There are strong pressures on the US President Bill Clinton to prompt him to oppose returning the Canal to Panama after the year 2000.