Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03TEGUCIGALPA1932
2003-08-15 14:31:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Cable title:  

CJCS GENERAL MYERS MEETS WITH HONDURAN PRESIDENT

Tags:  OVIP MARR MASS MOPS PREL PGOV SNAR HO 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TEGUCIGALPA 001932 

SIPDIS

CJCS FOR GENERAL MYERS
STATE FOR PM, INL, WHA, WHA/CEN, AND WHA/PPC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/15/2013
TAGS: OVIP MARR MASS MOPS PREL PGOV SNAR HO
SUBJECT: CJCS GENERAL MYERS MEETS WITH HONDURAN PRESIDENT
MADURO TO THANK HIM FOR GOH SUPPORT ON IRAQ AND ART. 98

REF: A. TEGUCIGALPA 1868

B. TEGUCIGALPA 1904

C. TEGUCIGALPA 1622

D. TEGUCIGALPA 1497

E. TEGUCIGALPA 1173 (ALL NOTAL)

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, a.i., Roger D. Pierce;
Reasons 1.5 (B) and (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TEGUCIGALPA 001932

SIPDIS

CJCS FOR GENERAL MYERS
STATE FOR PM, INL, WHA, WHA/CEN, AND WHA/PPC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/15/2013
TAGS: OVIP MARR MASS MOPS PREL PGOV SNAR HO
SUBJECT: CJCS GENERAL MYERS MEETS WITH HONDURAN PRESIDENT
MADURO TO THANK HIM FOR GOH SUPPORT ON IRAQ AND ART. 98

REF: A. TEGUCIGALPA 1868

B. TEGUCIGALPA 1904

C. TEGUCIGALPA 1622

D. TEGUCIGALPA 1497

E. TEGUCIGALPA 1173 (ALL NOTAL)

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, a.i., Roger D. Pierce;
Reasons 1.5 (B) and (D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: On August 13, CJCS General Myers met with
Honduran President Ricardo Maduro and senior government
officials to discuss issues of bilateral importance and to
thank Honduras for its strong support of Operation Iraqi
Freedom, including its troop contribution to that effort, and
the signing and ratification of an ICC Article 98 Agreement.
Among the particular issues discussed were Iraq,
narcotrafficking, terrorism, regional disarmament and
integration, the general crime situation in Honduras, and the
modernization of the Honduran Armed Forces. The visit was an
important boost for both President Maduro and USG-GOH
cooperation on political/military issues. END SUMMARY


2. (U) CJCS General Myers, accompanied by Mr. Hanley, CPT
Hunt, COL Ross, LCDR Cheever, and COL Gonzalez, and from the
Embassy Charge, DATT, MILGP Commander, and PolMilOff
(notetaker),met August 13 with Honduran President Ricardo
Maduro, accompanied by Minister of Defense Federico Breve,
Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Anibal Quinonez, Minister
of the Presidency Luis Cosenza, and Honduran CJCS General
Barahona. The meeting took place at the Casa Presidencial.

-------------- --------------
General Myers Expresses Gratitude for Honduran Support
-------------- --------------


3. (C) President Maduro started the meeting off by outlining
Honduran actions over the past few months in support of USG
foreign policy objectives, specifically mentioning the
ratification of an ICC Article 98 Agreement with the U.S. and

Honduran troop contributions to Operation Iraqi Freedom
(OIF). Maduro expressed solidarity with the U.S. in the War
on Terror, but noted that by overtly supporting the U.S.,
Honduras was at heightened risk of terrorist attacks. Maduro
also acknowledged that his explicit support of the U.S. in
Iraq came at a political cost.


4. (C) General Myers thanked Maduro for Honduras' support,
not only on Iraq and the signing of an ICC Article 98
Agreement with the U.S., but also on Honduras' overall
support on the War on Terror and the fight against
narcotrafficking. General Myers let Maduro know that the USG
has confidence in the preparedness of the Honduran troops en
route to Iraq and that the U.S. greatly appreciates Honduras'
efforts, stating that the support the Government of Honduras
(GOH) has offered the USG has been noticed at the highest
levels. General Myers also told Maduro that the
predominantly negative press coverage of Iraq was quite
different from the facts on the ground. He stated that the
Honduran troops would be part of the international effort
bringing new hope to the Iraqi people.

-------------- --------------
The Fight Against Narcotrafficking a Top Priority
-------------- --------------


5. (C) In a very candid manner, Maduro outlined for General
Myers the myriad difficulties Honduras faces in effectively
fighting the scourge of narcotrafficking, from the lack of
necessary resources, to corruption, to a frail legal system,
to insufficient coordination amongst the other Latin American
countries. Maduro acknowledged that his strong emphasis on
crime fighting was the reason for his election and he
reiterated that fighting crime, particularly
narcotrafficking, remains his number one priority. Maduro
stated that if his administration was unable to stem the
growing influence of drug-related crime in Honduras, his
successor would inherit a terrible situation.


6. (C) Regarding narcotrafficking, Maduro told General Myers
that he was personally becoming more involved in the fight to
reduce corruption and the amount of drugs that illegally
transit Honduran territory. While committed to reducing drug
trafficking, Maduro questioned the utility of having a "no
shoot-down policy" (ref E),saying that the current policy of
escorting intruding aircraft to the border to be handed off
to neighboring states was both costly and ineffective.
Maduro pointed to the fact that Honduran airspace was
violated on almost a daily basis because the narcotraffickers
know that they could transit Honduran airspace without risk.
Maduro went so far as to offer his assistance in lobbying the
U.S. Congress to change the law that prohibits the USG from
sharing tactical air-track information with countries that
employ a shoot-down policy.


7. (C) Maduro also expressed fears over the growing
influence of organized crime in Honduras, citing the recent
arrest of two Congressmen on drug charges as just the "tip of
the iceberg" (refs C and D). Maduro alluded to the influence
organized crime can have on elected officials, saying that
one plane-load of cocaine could finance a presidential
election in Honduras. Maduro also pointed to a linkage
between street gangs and narcotrafficking and claimed
Honduras was already moving from a transit zone to a staging
area for narcotraffickers.


8. (C) Maduro noted the need for greater information sharing
and cooperation between the other Central American states
(CENTAMS) and the USG to effectively fight narcotrafficking.
He told General Myers that his other CENTAM counterparts
share this concern and that movement is afoot to increase the
region's ability to better integrate their crime fighting
abilities. However, Maduro also noted the lack of resources
Honduras faces, specifically mentioning the need for a radar
and new helicopters to help in the fight against
narcotrafficking.


9. (C) General Myers thanked Maduro and the GOH for its
dedication to fighting narcotrafficking and told Maduro his
efforts to foster greater regional integration were the right
approach. General Myers further stated that the
trans-national threats posed by terrorists and
narcotraffickers leave countries little choice but to work
closer together. General Myers told Maduro that the USG also
needed to re-evaluate its policies toward the area to help
the CENTAMS better combat these threats.

--------------
Violent Crime a Serious Concern
--------------


10. (C) Maduro confessed the issue of street crime, including
violent crime, remains a a serious concern despite his best
efforts to combat it. While kidnappings and bank robberies
have dropped off since Maduro's deployment of the military to
assuage police patrols, murder rates have been climbing as
well as general gang-related crime. Maduro estimated that
over 30,000 Hondurans are gang members with some 20 percent
being committed to that type of life-style. Maduro expressed
hope that newly passed legislation which makes it a crime to
be a gang member would reduce their roles, but he
acknowledged that this law alone would not be a panacea to
Honduras' crime problems (ref B).


11. (C) Maduro noted that the judicial system needed to
function better and that the police needed to step-up patrols
in poorer neighborhoods. He admitted that the general public
perception was that the government was not in control of the
crime situation, particularly in dealing with gang violence.
General Myers indicated he had received a similar message
about gangs and violence while visiting El Salvador.

-------------- --------------
Maduro Stresses the need for Greater Regional Integration
-------------- --------------


12. (C) Maduro returned to the need for greater regional
integration as one of the keys to strengthening the region's
ability to combat terrorism, organized crime, and
narcotrafficking. He then mentioned the progress his
administration has made on border disputes with both El
Salvador and Nicaragua as proof of Honduras' desire to reduce
tensions within the region. General Myers applauded these
efforts and again stressed that working together with other
countries was key to success in the war against terror and
drugs.

-------------- --------------
Regional Disarmament Necessary, but Remains a Prickly Issue
-------------- --------------


13. (C) Maduro acknowledged the need for regional disarmament
and claimed Honduras stood ready to move forward but that the
process was complicated and moving slower than he had
originally hoped. He mentioned to General Myers that
Honduras had "got the ball rolling," by initiating a meeting
with President Flores but that not much progress has happened
since then. Maduro reminded General Myers that in terms of
manpower Honduras already had the smallest military in the
region.


14. (C) Maduro also raised the issue of Honduras' fleet of
F-5's and the possible linkage to reductions in Nicaragua's
stockpile of Man Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS).
Maduro indicated he understood why the USG was interested in
reducing the number of MANPADS in Nicaragua but he noted that
Honduras was ready to discuss the F-5's only in the context
of regional disarmament. General Myers told Maduro he
understood the situation and that it was not USG policy to
pressure Honduras to give up it's fleet of F-5's in exchange
for a reduction of MANPADS in Nicaragua.

--------------
Modernization of the Honduran Armed Forces
--------------


15. (C) Maduro touched slightly on the on-going
modernization of the Honduran Armed Forces (HOAF). Maduro
pointed to the fact that the Honduran Military was now a well
respected institution with a high degree of esprit de corps.
He noted that the armed forces would continue to expand its
professionalization and that the HOAF stood ready to embrace
new non-traditional missions such as providing disaster
relief, combating narcotrafficking, and helping the police
reduce street crime.

--------------
Boost for Maduro and for USG-GOH Cooperation
--------------


16. (C) Comment: General Myers' visit was an important boost
for President Maduro at a time when he has been buffeted by a
number of political problems (ref A). The meeting with
Maduro reinforced the Ambassador's statements of appreciation
for Maduro's decision to both support Operation Iraqi Freedom
with Honduran troops and to sign and ratify an ICC Article 98
Agreement with the U.S. The meeting also underlined USG
statements of encouragement and support for Maduro in the
fight against narcotrafficking. Maduro, in fact, made clear
during the subsequent joint press conference that the USG was
a firm supporter of Honduras and the GOH's fight against
narcotrafficking. Post expects President Maduro to make many
of the same points he raised in his meeting with General
Myers in his planned August 20 meeting with Secretary of
Defense Rumsfeld. End Comment.
Pierce