Brussels - Panamanian Foreign Minister Isabel de Saint Malo assured that her country is ready to undertake new alliances with Europe and be a bridge in its approach to the region.

The offer came during the meeting with representatives of the different bodies of the European Union (EU), as part of the official visit to Belgium.

Saint Malo also referred to the country's efforts to adopt international standards on transparency and fiscal cooperation, aimed at transforming the financial platform, an attitude that many Members congratulated, including the President of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani.

Speaking at the European Parliament's headquarters, De Saint Malo expressed the importance of moving forward with the ratification of the EU Association Agreement with Central America, in order to have a mechanism the two regions identified as priorities.

For his part, the president of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani expressed his decision to formally transmit this message from Panama to the commission investigating the leaks on corruption and money laundering generated by the so-called Panama Papers.

Tajani assured that more than a formal visit, the presence of the Vice President is of special political relevance to gain progress on the alliance with Panama and Latin America as a whole.