HONDURAN DELEGATION TO OAS CICTE; 2002 OAS CT

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 000201 SIPDIS STATE FOR IO, S/CT, L, WHA/PPC, AND WHA/CEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PTER KTIA XL XM CA HO OAS SUBJECT: HONDURAN DELEGATION TO OAS CICTE; 2002 OAS CT CONVENTION PENDING CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL REF: STATE 11998 ¶1. PolOff delivered January 20 reftel demarche on the OAS CICTE to MFA Director for Multilateral Issues Wendy Flores. MFA Director General fro Foreign Policy Mario Fortin told PolOff January 26 that the GOH delegation will only be Frontier Police Chief Ramon Sabillon. Note: Sabillon is an excellent contact of the Embassy and the Frontier Police receives INL counternarcotics funding. The Frontier Police is charged with handling counterterrorism law enforcement issues. End Note. ¶2. The GOH is still not a party to the two Organization of American States (OAS) counterterrorism conventions: -- 1971 OAS Convention to Prevent and Punish the Acts of Terrorism Taking the Form of Crimes Against Persons and Related Extortion that are of International Significance (signed by the GOH February 2, 1971) -- 2002 OAS Convention to Prevent and Punish Acts of Terrorism (signed by the GOH June 3, 2002). ¶3. The Honduran Congress recently gave approval to the 1971 CT convention and the official decree approving the convention should be sent soon for the President's signature and publication in La Gaceta (akin to the Federal Register). The 2002 CT convention has been debated by Congress but has yet to come to a vote. ¶4. Comment: EmbOffs continue to push hard for the GOH to become a party to these two CT conventions as soon as possible. End Comment. PALMER