HONDURAS GIVES TENTATIVE YES TO RESETTLEMENT OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEGUCIGALPA 002297

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA DAS FISK, WHA/CCA, AND WHA/CEN
STATE FOR PRM, PRM/ENA, PRM/ECA, AND PRM/PRP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2014
TAGS: PREF PREL SMIG MARR CU HO
SUBJECT: HONDURAS GIVES TENTATIVE YES TO RESETTLEMENT OF
PROTECTED CUBAN MIGRANTS FROM GUANTANAMO; NUMBERS TBD

REF: A. POPE/OLSEN E-MAILS/TELCONS/FAXES 10/8/04 AND

10/12/04

B. STATE 216668

C. TEGUCIGALPA 1524

D. STATE 139422

Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Francisco Palmieri;
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) PolCouns and PolOff met October 8 with Foreign
Minister Leonidas Rosa Bautista to follow-up on his September
15 meeting with WHA A/S Noriega and the Honduran Embassy in
Washington's communications with the Department October 5
regarding the resettlement of protected Cuban migrants at
Guantanamo Naval Base to Honduras (ref B). PolCouns
reiterated that the USG will pay for the migrants transport
and first six months of living expenses via IOM. PolCouns
also indicated that Costa Rica planned to take 20 Cuban
migrants. The FM replied that the GOH would take Cuban
migrants and tentatively agreed that the GOH would take 21
migrants (the number of Cuban migrants needing resettlement
that PolOffs were working with at the time of the meeting).
The FM said they would likely be granted "economic refugee"
status, which he thought would probably not entail any
paperwork fees initially. Unfortunately, he said he did not
think the migrants would have immediate work authorization as
"economic refugees," but once the initial excitement of the
Cubans' resettlement died down they could apply for residency
and/or permission to work. This secondary paperwork would
likely involve fees. He said that of course, the GOH agreed
not to repatriate the migrants to Cuba.


2. (C) Rosa Bautista said that he had previously discussed
the issue in general with President Ricardo Maduro who wants
to accept the Cuban migrants. The FM said he would re-check
with Maduro about the specific number of migrants the GOH was
willing to accept. Embassy delivered to the FM at his house
the biographic data for 16 Cuban migrants (ref A) the evening
of October 8. The FM also said he would seek a meeting on
October 11 or 12 to coordinate with the Minister of
Government and Justice, Jorge Ramon Hernandez Alcerro, the
details of any possible resettlement, as Minister Hernandez
Alcerro oversees Honduran Immigration.


3. (C) Acting PolCouns spoke October 12 with MFA Director
General for Foreign Affairs Mario Fortin about the GTMO
Cubans, and faxed him a copy of the biographic data for 16
Cuban migrants, as well as the bio data for a 17th Cuban
migrant (ref A). Acting PolCouns informed Fortin that the
Embassy would provide bio data for an 18th Cuban migrant
prior to the end of the week. Fortin said he had spoken to
the FM October 11 regarding the issue and understood that the
FM had held meetings at the presidential palace on the issue
of the GTMO Cubans, but that he did not know the substance of
those talks.


4. (C) As of the afternoon of October 13, Post was still
waiting to hear back from the FM on the issue. Post will
press the MFA for an answer October 14/15.
Pierce