Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04TEGUCIGALPA810
2004-04-06 19:22:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Cable title:  

MEDIA REACTION ON UNCHR RESOLUTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Tags:  OIIP KPAO PHUM PREL KDEM CU HO CHR 
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UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 000810 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA, WHA/PD, WHA/CCA, WHA/PPC, AND WHA/CEN
STATE FOR DRL, DRL/MLA, IO, INR, AND IIP/G/WHA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KPAO PHUM PREL KDEM CU HO CHR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON UNCHR RESOLUTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
IN CUBA, APRIL 6, 2004

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 000810

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA, WHA/PD, WHA/CCA, WHA/PPC, AND WHA/CEN
STATE FOR DRL, DRL/MLA, IO, INR, AND IIP/G/WHA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KPAO PHUM PREL KDEM CU HO CHR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON UNCHR RESOLUTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
IN CUBA, APRIL 6, 2004


1. Op-Ed by regular columnist Juan Ramon Martinez in
Tegucigalpa-based liberal daily "La Tribuna" on 4/6 entitled
"Why do you offend us Presi Maduro?" I'm more surprised
than Oswaldo Ramos Soto (National Party ) and more indignant
than Omar Cerna (Liberal) because of the position of
subordination that Honduras has shown toward the U.S.
objectives in Cuba.

"It is not a matter of principles nor a fight in favor of
democracy, neither, a matter of defending Cuba's style or of
government not to celebrate inclination of Castro to
maintain power".

"If Honduras has decided as a sovereign power to obligate
Cuba to respect the human rights of its citizens - by now,
all us would be supporting the government's decision, but
things are different. According to the information, not a
single country of the hemisphere accepted President Bush's
order"

"Presi' Maduro was urgently called by Powell who ordered him
to do it so - neither the President of El Salvador who was
Bush's nominee for the OAS wanted to take such an
embarrassing position. `The Presi' of Honduras, as expected,
agreed in tabling the resolution with enough knowledge of
the risks of opinions that he has to undertake; but for
sure, this task would let him have access to the millennium
account"



2. Op-ed by regular collaborator Victor Manuel Ramos in San
Pedro Sula-based liberal "Tiempo" on 4/6 entitled: "Oil
street lamp" Our governments again, are protagonist in an
action that is hundred percent against the thought and
feelings of the Hondurans"

"It is interesting to know that this resolution tabled to
the UNCHR has been written in Washington, and not precisely
in the Honduran Embassy in that country but in the offices
of the North American government. The Honduran Foreign
Affairs Minister looks more as a north American employee
than Honduran- according to his statements and his
perception, he thinks we all are stupid and do not know the
truth"


3. National Television news program Telenoticias on April
5th carried an interview with former Foreign Minister Carlos
Lopez Contreras who is now an advisor of the current Foreign
Minister in which he said: "The United Nations Commission on
Human rights has had this issue on its agenda for two years.
The commission asks for an investigation commission be sent
to Cuba to examine human rights abuses. No one should be
surprised that the United States is interested in this issue
of human rights and that the Cubans have set up obstacles to
the investigation of the United Nations."


4. Note: Today's dailies ran a wire service article "United
Stated trusts that Latin American countries would support
the resolution against Cuba in Geneva. End note.

Palmer