Rumsfeld praises canal stewardship

PANAMA CITY, Panama – Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld praised Panama on Sunday for its stewardship of the Panama Canal, which is marking 90 years as the world’s link between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

“They’re tackling the problems and challenges of the 21st century in an orderly and disciplined way,” Rumsfeld said after touring the U.S.-built canal by helicopter.

The United States, which had managed the canal since its construction began a century ago, turned over the waterway to the Panamanian government on Dec. 31, 1999, under a treaty negotiated in the late 1970s by former President Carter’s administration.

Since taking charge, the Panamanians have reduced the number of accidents within the canal zone and sliced more than six hours from the average transit time for a ship passing through.

Because of the canal’s importance to world maritime traffic – roughly 5 percent of the world’s trade passes through the waterway – military and security officials worry of the possibility that terrorists might try to attack.