HONDURAS REMAINS COMMITTED TO IRAQ DEPLOYMENT BUT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEGUCIGALPA 000642 SIPDIS STATE FOR PM, WHA/CEN, AND WHA/PPC E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/16/2014 TAGS: MOPS MARR PREL PGOV ASEC IZ HO SUBJECT: HONDURAS REMAINS COMMITTED TO IRAQ DEPLOYMENT BUT UNLIKELY TO EXTEND PRESENCE PAST JULY REF: A. TEGUCIGALPA 234 ¶B. USDAO TEGUCIGALPA IIR 101921Z 04 ¶C. 03 TEGUCIGALPA 2249 ¶D. 03 TEGUCIGALPA 1243 ( ALL NOTAL) Classified By: Ambassador Larry L, Palmer; Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: Reports in the U.S. and international press which suggest that the Government of Honduras (GOH) now plans to withdraw its troops from Iraq this summer are misleading and contradict local Honduran media coverage of the issue. On March 16, President Ricardo Maduro held a press conference in which he reiterated support for the U.S. war against terrorism; made clear that the act of terrorism in Madrid last week would not change Honduran policy; and underscored that Honduran troops would fulfill their commitment in Iraq. Maduro did, however, announce that he did not intend to seek an extension of the Honduran troop deployment, which is due to end in July. He held out the possibility that this decision could change based on how the situation in Iraq develops. Maduro's declaration echoed comments made by the Foreign and Defense Ministers on March 15. Those earlier comments were inaccurately reported to indicate that Honduras had decided to join Spain in withdrawing troops. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) On March 16, President Ricardo Maduro held a press conference in which he reiterated support for the U.S. war against terrorism; made clear that the act of terrorism in Madrid last week would not change Honduran policy; and underscored that Honduran troops would fulfill their commitment in Iraq. Maduro did, however, announce that he did not intend to seek an extension of the Honduran troop deployment past the current end date of July. He held out the possibility that this decision could change based on how the situation in Iraq develops. Maduro added that Honduras' extension decision was not based on whether or not there was a UN request but, as they see it, rather the conclusion of the first phase of coalition operations in June which had been authorized by the National Congress for the troops' deployment. He added that his government would have to reevaluate this decision at that time. Maduro's declaration echoed comments made by the Foreign and Defense Ministers on March 15, in which they made clear that Honduran troops would 
fulfill their commitment in Iraq. ¶3. (U) Reports in the U.S. and international press which suggest that the Government of Honduras (GOH) now plans to withdraw its troops from Iraq this summer are misleading and contradict local Honduran media coverage of the issue. Three of the four major dailies all ran front page headlines highlighting that Honduran troops would continue in their role in Iraq. These local reports were based on the same statements attributed to the Foreign and Defense Ministers and reported in other wire service reports. ¶4. (U) Foreign Minister Rosa Bautista actually publicly confirmed March 15 that Honduras would honor its commitment to Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) by completing its one-year commitment in Iraq. He said that the Honduran forces would be maintained in Iraq. He did not comment on the GOH's plans beyond this one-year commitment, but accurately noted that the National Congress would have to approve an extension of the deployment. In separate public comments. Minister of Defense Federico Breve stressed in response to a question from a journalist that "independently of any decision by Spain, the current Honduran deployment would end this summer as previously planned." ¶5. (C) COMMENT: As previously reported (refs A-D),according to high level Honduran sources (both political and military), the GOH was open to the possibility of continuing the deployment after this summer. However, Post believes that the GOH would prefer to end its deployment to Iraq this summer, marking the end of its one year commitment. The cost of the deployment has been an ongoing concern (with local reporting and leftists critics highlighting the $800,000 annual cost to the stretched national budget.) Still, Maduro made clear he would not allow the recent terrorist attacks in Madrid to deter his government's policy. Nonetheless, the reality is that Spain's announcement that it would withdraw its troops from Iraq, unless the United Nations assumes operational control of the deployment, further complicate matters politically for the Maduro government. As noted in ref A, Honduran popular support for the deployment remains very low. Maduro's party would prefer to end its Iraq deployment and reduce its political exposure, which would be high if Honduran troops were to suffer casualties. While the deployment is unpopular, as long as Honduras continues to suffer no casualties and is not targeted by terrorist activity, the GOH, given the right incentives, might be willing to seek, and even be granted by the National Congress, an extension of the Iraqi deployment. END COMMENT ¶6. (U) Minimize considered. PALMER