MEDIA REACTION ON THE VISIT OF SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 002615 SIPDIS FOR WHA/PD (OHILTON),WHA/CEN (TKELLY),PM, AND INL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP PREL KPAO PGOV HO SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON THE VISIT OF SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL TO HONDURAS, NOVEMBER 4, 2003 ¶1. Editorial in Tegucigalpa-based liberal daily "La Tribuna" on 11/5 entitled "Powell". "Throughout the uncertain times Honduras is going through, the visit of Colin Powell to Honduras has brought very good news. The U.S. Secretary of State has said that Honduras could be one of the countries to be benefited from the Millennium Account that will allocate 5 billion dollars for developing countries. These funds will be given to those countries committed to democracy and those that have implemented social, economic and political reforms which will ensure economic openness." "There's no doubt that Honduras will qualify to access to these funds, because we're a developing country and we have done the necessary efforts to implement a series of comprehensive political, social and economic reforms. And, the most important thing is that we have sent Honduran troops to Iraq." "Powell, who is a very influential figure in the American political arena, took this opportunity to thank for the Honduran support for being part of the original coalition of nations that sent troops to Iraq, when other countries refused to do so. The importance of sending troops to Iraq isn't the number of soldiers we have sent, it is actually our willingness to help." Palmer