MINISTER OF DEFENSE REVIEWING DECISION TO PROVIDE

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEGUCIGALPA 000203

SIPDIS

STATE FOR P, INL, L, WHA, WHA/PPC, AND WHA/CEN
SOUTHCOM FOR GENERAL HILL
JIATF-S FOR RADM SIROIS
SECDEF FOR EFROTHINGHAM
NSC FOR JBJOSTAD
DOJ FOR MLWARREN AND DKOFFSKY
ONDCP FOR BCRANE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/26/2014
TAGS: SNAR MOPS PINS PREL MCAP PINR HO
SUBJECT: MINISTER OF DEFENSE REVIEWING DECISION TO PROVIDE
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

REF: A. TEGUCIGALPA 193


B. STATE 15961

C. TEGUCIGALPA 179

D. USDAO TEGUCIGALPA IIR 6 841 9971 04 (ALL NOTAL)

Classified By: Ambassador Larry Palmer;
Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d)


1. (C) On mid-afternoon of January 26 the Chief of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff of the Honduran Armed Forces informed USMILGP
Commander that he would provide a written copy of the
Honduran Air Force's rules of engagement for intercepting
intruding civil aircraft violating Honduran airspace and for
the use of live ammunition, including warning shots, against
suspected narcotrafficking aircraft or other suspect aircraft
flying in Honduran airspace. He later called back to say
that the requested documents had been referred to the
Minister of Defense and MOD attorneys for a final review and
decision on whether or not to release the information.
Ambassador has a previously scheduled luncheon with the
Minister of Defense for January 27 and will raise issue if
documents are not received on January 26.


2. (C) Once post receives documents in question, it will send
a detailed cable January 27 specifying answers to questions
raised in ref B and an informal Embassy translation of the
rules of engagement.
PALMER