MEDIA REACTION: "CAFTA AND HONDURAS"

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 000161

SIPDIS

FOR PD/WHA (MBUCKLEY); IIP/G/WHA DIPASQUALE; EB/EPPD DCLUNE;
USTR AGASH
INFO IIP/T/ES
EMBASSIES FOR PAOS, IOs,

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KPAO HO PA ETRD USTR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: "CAFTA AND HONDURAS"



1. TVC morning talk show 1/17/03: " Following the
participation of the Minister of Labor and the Minister of
Industry and Commerce as panelists in last week's AETN
dialogue on CAFTA, several print, radio and TV news
organizations featured them on CAFTA and its advantages.
Renato Alvarez, Director of TV talk show " Frente a Frente"
invited them to come on his one-hour to discuss CAFTA and
its benefits for Honduras".


2. Comments: Alvarez: " The United States won't negotiate
bilaterally with any country but instead wants to complete
an agreement with Central as a unit. A fair justice system,
strong anti- corruption efforts and the treaty are the
fundamental pillars that will help grow the economy and
consolidate democracy. We need to produce quality products
for lower prices if we wish to avoid further increases in
unemployment. This is a year of challenges for Honduras and
we should be open to these challenges in order to achieve
modernization, increased production, sustainable
development, and low prices so that we can compete in the
international market. We also want foreign investment that
will generate more job opportunities and strengthen
democracy and the economy.



3. "Vice Minister of Industry and Commerce Irvin Guerrero:
"We should study the Mexico experience with NAFTA - they
very successfully were able to increase exports and job
opportunities over the past years. Free trade is
important for the U.S. because it wants to consolidate
NAFTA; the only area left behind is Central America, which
is why is so important for us to be in the block and sign
the treaty. It is a great opportunity and we intend to
take advantage of it.


4. "Minister of Labor German Leitzelar: I agreed with Dr.
Bowie-Whitman, the U.S. Representative for FTAA, when she
said that free trade agreements benefit countries. In
Honduras we have problems of attitude and creativity.
There is the feeling that CAFTA is a political issue, but
development and transformation is for our own benefit. Free
trade won't transform Honduras but Honduras can. Foreign
investment does not come to countries that do not
offer adequate education, training, technology and high
productivity. If the employment issue is not analyzed within
the framework of production - Honduras will be part of CAFTA
but other countries will be the ones opening
business in Honduras not Hondurans. Honduras has the
advantage of having the most important port in the region.
Honduras should seize the advantages that CAFTA offers-- if
we succeed with CAFTA, we can became a prosperous
country. All of us should support CAFTA.


Palmer