DRL PDAS KOZAK MEETS WITH HONDURAN OFFICIALS TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEGUCIGALPA 002866

SIPDIS

STATE FOR DRL, DRL/PHD, DRL/MLA, DRL/CRA, AND IO
STATE FOR WHA, WHA/PPC, WHA/USOAS, WHA/CCA, AND WHA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/08/2013
TAGS: PHUM PREL CU HO UNGA
SUBJECT: DRL PDAS KOZAK MEETS WITH HONDURAN OFFICIALS TO
DISCUSS COORDINATION ON UNCHR RESOLUTIONS; GOH SUPPORTIVE


Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, a.i., Roger Pierce;
Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: DRL PDAS Kozak, DRL/MLA Deputy Director
Sicade, and EmbOffs met November 19-20 with senior GOH
officials, including Foreign Minister Leonidas Rosa Bautista,
to discuss U.S. cooperation with Latin American countries on
human rights resolutions at the United Nations Commission on
Human Rights (UNCHR). GOH officials said they would be happy
to work with the USG on UNCHR resolutions, including the Cuba
resolution. The GOH has been a steadfast ally at the UN on
recent controversial resolutions, including the Iran human
rights resolution and Middle East resolutions, and has been a
co-sponsor of the UNCHR Cuba resolution in the past. Post is
confident that the GOH will do what it can to support the USG
in this important initiative. End Summary.

Meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs
--------------


2. (C) Ambassador, DRL PDAS Kozak, DRL/MLA Deputy Director
Sicade, and PolOff met November 19 with Honduran Foreign
Minister Leonidas Rosa Bautista, Vice Minister Anibal
Quinonez, and MFA Senior Advisor Ambassador Policarpo
Callejas to discuss U.S. cooperation with Latin American
countries on human rights resolutions at the United Nations
Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR). Kozak noted that they
were traveling to Latin American countries that were members
of the UNCHR, first in Central America and then in South
America, to seek closer cooperation. The effort was modeled
on a similar effort undertaken recently with the European
Union (EU),which had been successful.


3. (C) Tracing recent U.S. experience with the UNCHR, from
losing a seat on the commission, to gaining a seat back, to
present day, Kozak underlined that the USG was seeking to
work with other democratic countries instead of fighting over
language in specific resolutions, noting the example of
arguments with the EU over language on the death penalty in
the 2002 Iran resolution. By the time a compromise had been
reached there was no time to lobby for the resolution's
passage, and it was defeated. Kozak said the U.S. sought to
encourage democracies to: (a) run for the UNCHR, and (b) not
trade votes with dictatorships on resolutions.


4. (C) The FM thanked Kozak for the visit to Honduras, and
noted that U.S.-Honduran relations were excellent,
highlighted by the recent visit of the Secretary and WHA A/S
Noriega to Tegucigalpa. Noting the importance of Central
America working together as a region, the FM said common
Central American positions on UN issues, such as UNCHR
resolutions, was a goal. He pledged to work with the U.S. on
revitalizing the UNCHR. Rosa Bautista then highlighted
recent steps Honduras had taken on human rights problems, and
said that a lack of resources often left developing countries
open to criticism for human rights problems by omission.
Ambassador Callejas, noting his experience on the
Inter-American Court of Human Rights, discussed first,
second, and third generation human rights and problems with
Cuba. Kozak noted that the U.S. supported second generation
human rights, but saw them as of a different character than
first generation human rights. Governments can show respect
for civil and political rights simply by not interfering in
their exercise; economic, social, and cultural rights reflect
aspirations we all share, but the degree to which they can be
realized depends on policy choices each sovereign state
makes. He noted that this meant the wording of individual
resolutions was key.


5. (C) Vice Minister Quinonez noted that it would be
difficult to get other democracies to join the UNCHR to take
the place of dictatorships. Kozak noted that one-third of
the commission was bad, with opportunities for majorities to
be built of the following countries: the U.S., the EU,
Eastern Europe, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
countries (minus Cuba),allies in the Pacific, and select
African or Asian countries.


6. (C) Kozak noted the importance of the Cuba resolution, and
the GOH's co-sponsorship of the resolution in the past. He
floated the idea of creating a group of representative
countries from various regions of the world to draft and
co-sponsor a Cuba resolution. Kozak noted that the text of
the last Cuba resolution was weak. He said that while the
issue of the elements of an effective policy toward Cuba may
be the subject of debate, there was no debate over the
importance of human rights in Cuba.


7. (C) Rosa Bautista mentioned several possible avenues for
U.S. cooperation with Central America on UNCHR resolutions,
including the Central American Integration System (SICA - the
seven Central American countries plus the Dominican
Republic),or the 13 Central America and Caribbean countries
(minus Cuba). He noted that the Central American Free Trade
Agreement (CAFTA) should increase cooperation among countries
in the region. Kozak noted the usefulness of a Central
American technical representative to work with DRL/MLA on
UNCHR resolutions. Rosa Bautista said that in the meantime
the USG could communicate directly with him, VM Quinonez, and
AMB Callejas on UNCHR resolutions.

8. (C) DCM, DRL PDAS Kozak, DRL/MLA Deputy Director Sicade,
and PolOff met later that same day with Minister of
Government and Justice Jorge Ramon Hernandez Alcerro, Vice
Minister of Justice Carlos Pineda Pinel, and Minister of
Public Security Oscar Alvarez to discuss the same issue and
other human rights issues (septels).

Meeting With Minister of the Presidency
--------------


9. (C) DCM, DRL PDAS Kozak, DRL/MLA Deputy Director Sicade,
and PolOff met November 20 with Minister of the Presidency
Luis Cosenza and Minister of Strategic Affairs and
Communications Ramon Medina Luna to discuss UNCHR
cooperation. Kozak gave a similar outline on the reasons for
consultations with Honduras and other Latin American
democracies on the UNCHR. He clarified that although Cuba,
like other serious human rights violators, always wants to be
on the UNCHR to try to quash critical resolutions, Cuba is
only on the commission because it is nominated and elected by
GRULAC. Kozak noted that Cuba has never abided by any UNCHR
resolutions, and that Cuba's treatment of dissidents has
worsened recently. He floated the idea raised in the MFA
meeting of creating a group of representative countries from
various regions of the world to draft and co-sponsor a Cuba
resolution.


10. (C) Kozak said that the U.S. could agree to disagree with
democratic countries on certain issues, but that it was much
better to do so in advance of any votes on UNCHR resolutions.
The USG was seeking to establish an informal consultative
mechanism on UNCHR resolutions by early 2004.


11. (C) Cosenza and Medina Luna both said they thought the
U.S. plan sounded like a good idea and a worthwhile
initiative. Cosenza said that the GOH would be pleased to
work with the USG on improving human rights throughout the
world.

GOH Should be a Good Partner with USG on UNCHR Resolutions
-------------- --------------


12. (C) Comment: Honduras is likely to be a good partner for
the USG on UNCHR resolutions and the goal of improving the
commission itself. The GOH has been a steadfast ally at the
UN on recent controversial resolutions, including the Iran
human rights resolution and Middle East resolutions, and has
been a co-sponsor of the UNCHR Cuba resolution in the past.
The MFA's limited depth may hamper its ability to work with
the USG on a technical level on drafting and seeking
sponsorship of resolutions, but Post is confident that the
GOH will do what it can to support the USG in this important
initiative. End Comment.


13. (U) This cable has been cleared by DRL PDAS Kozak.
Pierce