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