Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino on Thursday ruled out discussing control over the Panama Canal in a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is set to visit the Central American country in his first official trip abroad this weekend.

Panama President José Raúl Mulino says there will be no negotiation with the United States over ownership of the Panama Canal.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio says President Donald Trump's desire to acquire Greenland and retake control of the Panama Canal is driven by legitimate national security interests stemming from growing concerns about Chinese activity and influence in the Arctic and in Latin America.

The new U.S. secretary of state will find a region reeling from the Trump administration's shock-and-awe approach to diplomacy.

Marco Rubio will head overseas late next week; he's also scheduled to visit Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.

Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino ruled out discussing control of the Panama Canal with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio when he visits the Central American country. "I cannot negotiate and much less open a process of negotiation on the Canal," Mulino said during his weekly press conference, saying the matter is "sealed."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio states Trump's interest in Greenland and the Panama Canal is driven by national security concerns regarding China.

Panama President Jose Raul Mulino said Thursday there will be no negotiation with the United States over ownership of the Panama Canal, and he hopes US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's upcoming visit will allow them to focus on shared interests including migration and combating drug trafficking.

Rubio defended Trump's proposed territorial expansions as a 'national interest,' while Denmark and Greenland firmly rejected offers amid concerns over potential military action.

By Simon Lewis and Matt Spetalnick WASHINGTON (Reuters) -When Marco Rubio arrives in Latin America this weekend on his first foreign trip as Donald Trump's secretary of state, he'll find a region reeling from the new administration's shock-and-awe approach to diplomacy.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has come out in support of President Donald Trump's desire to acquire Greenland and retake control of the Panama Canal, citing legitimate national security interests.