MEDIA REACTION ON CAFTA, JULY 18, 2003

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 001709 SIPDIS FOR PD/WHA (JGREENBLATT); 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 ON CAFTA, JULY 18, 2003 ¶1. Editorial in Tegucigalpa-based liberal daily "La Tribuna" on 7/18 entitled "Overwhelming". "The Central American presidents agreed in their latest summit in Guatemala on a common position to move forward on the CAFTA negotiations, and to establish a common ground to start negotiations for a free trade agreement with the EU." "The Guatemalan President inaugurated the summit warning that the Central American integration `is a crucial step, and globalization will overwhelm us if we are divided'." "If we have advanced in this matter, we hope it happens likewise regarding other integration issues. This experience should teach us that we shouldn't wait to have a crisis that could have easily be avoided if the presidents had provided their political backing since the beginning of the negotiations." Palmer