EMBASSY TEGUCIGALPA'S 90-DAY PLAN: FINAL STATUS

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEGUCIGALPA 000752 SIPDIS FOR WHA/AS NORIEGA, WHA/DAS FISK, WHA/CEN WAGNER, WHA/PPC ALAIN NORMAN FROM DCM ROGER PIERCE E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2014 TAGS: PREL ECON KCRM SNAR HO SUBJECT: EMBASSY TEGUCIGALPA'S 90-DAY PLAN: FINAL STATUS REF: A. A) 03 STATE 34946 ¶B. B) TEGUCIGALPA 00067 ¶C. C) EMAIL LAURANCE/KELLY/NORMAN DATED 3/16/04 Classified By: ROGER D. PIERCE, DCM, FOR REASON 1.5 (D) ¶1. (U) Please find requested status for Embassy Tegucigalpa's 90-day plan for the first quarter of 2004 (ref B) below. ¶2. (SBU) Ensure selection of qualified Attorney General to support rule of law (C) STEPS TAKEN: Despite a coordinated Mission public diplomacy campaign, which included USAID funded public service announcement and a major policy speech by the Ambassador, and an intense diplomatic lobbying effort, which included private meetings with the President, Cabinet members, the President of Congress, members of Congress, the President of the Supreme Court, key members of the nominating selection committee, and other influential opinion leaders, including the Mayor of Tegucigalpa, the next Attorney General unfortunately does not meet the goal of being a fully respectable rule of law agent. He does meet the legal qualifications for the position. (U) FUTURE STEPS: Continue to monitor new AG's performance. Encourage his support for the rule of law and adherence to the highest ethical standards in performance of his responsibilities. (U) STATUS: A new AG was selected through the legally established process. ¶3. (SBU) Negotiate & sign a Letter of Agreement (LOA) on narcotics/law enforcement (C) STEPS TAKEN: DCM met with Honduran Vice President, who chairs the Government of Honduras National Council for the Fight Against Drug Trafficking (CNCN),and concluded negotiations over the LOA's budget line items during third week of January. POL/INL provided updated draft text of LOA language and its standard provisions to Vice President during last week of January. Vice President reviewed LOA and did not respond with proposed revisions, including changes to INL standard provisions, until last week of February. POL/INL and INL Bureau reviewed proposed changes and POL/INL has met twice with CNCN officer over these technical corrections. INL Bureau's has given final approval for the LOA text. It is still, however, pending the Vice President's approval. (U) FUTURE STEPS: Obtain final approvals and arrange signing ceremony. (U) STATUS: LOA is in final stage of negotiation and should be signed by the end of the month. ¶4. (SBU) IMF approval of Poverty Reduction & Growth Facility (PRGF) program (U) STEPS TAKEN: Ambassador, DCM, Econ Counselor, Pol Counselor, and AID Director discussed with GOH and key members of Congress the importance of fulfillment of prior actions needed for IMF Board Approval of Honduras' PRGF program. (U) FUTURE STEPS: Continue to monitor. Encourage strict compliance with the agreed economic program. (U) STATUS: Completed. Honduras did complete all prior actions listed in the IMF program and signed the Letter of Intent on the program on February 2, 2003 in the presence of the IMF's Anoop Singh and his delegation. The IMF Board approved the program on February 18 and the World Bank approved it as well on February 26, along with the status report on the Poverty Reduction Strategy. This puts Honduras back on track for possible HIPC completion point in February of 2005. PALMER