HONDURAN FM TELLS AMBASSADOR GOH HAS ACCEPTED

S E C R E T TEGUCIGALPA 003206 SIPDIS DEPT. FOR WHA, WHA/CCA, AND WHA/CEN STATE FOR INR, S/CT, AND DS/ICI/ITA STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CEN E.O. 12958: DECL: X1, X5, X6 TAGS: PREL EAID PGOV ETTC PINR ASEC HO CU SUBJECT: HONDURAN FM TELLS AMBASSADOR GOH HAS ACCEPTED CUBAN AMBASSADORIAL NOMINEE POLANCO REF: A. CARHART/PALMER E-MAIL NOVEMBER 19 ¶B. TEGUCIGALPA 3145 ¶C. PIERCE/FISK E-MAIL NOVEMBER ¶D. TEGUCIGALPA 3076 ¶E. STATE 205386 (ALL NOTAL) Classified By: Ambassador Larry Palmer; Reasons 1.5 (B),(C) and (D). ¶1. (C) Ambassador met with Honduran Foreign Minister Guillermo Perez-Cadalso Arias November 21 at Perez-Cadalso's request. FM Perez-Cadalso told Ambassador that the GOH had decided to accept the Cuban nomination of Dr. Elis Alberto Gonzalez Polanco, Chief of the Cuban Medical Brigade, as the first Cuban ambassador to Honduras. ¶2. (S) The GOH approved Polanco despite the fact that ORCA sources have indicated that the Honduran Armed Forces had urged President Maduro not to approve Polanco's nomination because of Polanco's alleged activities for Cuban intelligence. (Note: As noted in ref A, ORCA has not been able to independently confirm that Polanco is a Cuban intelligence officer, but ORCA would not dispute that some of the Cuban "doctors" sent to Honduras may be Cuban intelligence officers. End Note.) ¶3. (U) FM Perez-Cadalso announced the news of the GOH's acceptance of Polanco to reporters shortly after meeting with Ambassador. Perez-Cadalso said that the GOH would not name a Honduran ambassador to Cuba until 2003. Cuban diplomatic sources had previously leaked the news of the GOH's acceptance of Polanco to the press and it was reported in Honduran papers the morning of November 21, prior to Ambassador's meeting with Perez-Cadalso. ¶4. (S) Comment: Post notes that the MFA obeyed the letter but not the spirit of President Ricardo Maduro November 12 pledge to Ambassador to consult with the Embassy prior to any announcement of the acceptance of a Cuban ambassador (ref B). Since the news of the GOH's acceptance of Polanco had already been leaked to the press prior to the FM's meeting with Ambassador, the meeting was more of a formal notification than a consultation. Post is disappointed that Maduro did not continue to delay a decision or reject Polanco's nomination outright. Post notes that Perez-Cadalso's statement that the GOH will not name a Honduran ambassador to Cuba until 2003 is in line with Maduro's statements to Ambassador November 12. Post also has heard rumors that former Human Rights Ombudsman Leo Valladares may be under consideration for the post. If true, his appointment would highlight the USG's and GOH's human rights concerns in Cuba. End Comment. PALMER