Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05TEGUCIGALPA1371
2005-06-28 15:08:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Cable title:  

MEDIA REACTION ON CAFTA, JUNE 27, 2005

Tags:  OIIP KPAO ETRD HO USTR 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 001371 

SIPDIS

DEPT. FOR WHA/PD; IIP/G/WHA DIPASQUALE; AND IIP/T/ES
DEPT. FOR EB/TPP DCLUNE, WHA/EPSC AND WHA/CEN
DEPT. PASS USTR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KPAO ETRD HO USTR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON CAFTA, JUNE 27, 2005


UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 001371

SIPDIS

DEPT. FOR WHA/PD; IIP/G/WHA DIPASQUALE; AND IIP/T/ES
DEPT. FOR EB/TPP DCLUNE, WHA/EPSC AND WHA/CEN
DEPT. PASS USTR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KPAO ETRD HO USTR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON CAFTA, JUNE 27, 2005



1. On 06/25 the Tegucigalpa-based liberal daily "La Tribuna"
published an editorial entitled "Final Round." "Once Bush
sent CAFTA-DR for legislative ratification the two North
American chambers of Congress have 90 days to approve or
reject it."

"The approval requires a simple majority in both chambers
and, even though opposition is strong the Senate's Financial
Committee approved CAFTA-DR's draft by 11 to 9 votes, while
the House of Representatives' Procedure Committee also
accepted the text by 25 to 16 votes."

"Bush says that the treaty shouldn't be seen just as a
commercial agreement but also as a way to strengthen
countries' democracy. Democrats affirm that they don't
understand why these kind of agreements are being approved
if they are bad for the U.S and for other countries."

"While all this was happening, the President of Costa Rica
declared that CAFTA wouldn't be approved until it is certain
that it will benefit the country. The Nicaraguan Assembly
hasn't ratified the treaty either. In the Dominican Republic
the business sector has objected to it so the ratification
is still uncertain."

"Despite all that, if Bush sent the treaty to Congress it is
because he has the feeling that he has enough votes for its
approval and apparently he has applied strong pressure to
make that happen."


2. "La Tribuna" published an op-ed by Oscar Antonio Oyuela
entitled "Washington and its Neighbors." "With the latest
political events in Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador and Bolivia,
the U.S. seems to have noticed that its old Latin American
allies are trying to stop being its unconditional allies."

"According to economic and financial experts, CAFTA
guarantees better commercial exchange between our countries,
more access to the North American market, investments for
development, increased indicators in education, health,
culture, transfer of technologies and more. In exchange, the
region and the Caribbean must restructure the judicial
framework in order to attract investors.."

"Even though Kissinger recommended higher defense
expenditures in the region, he also insisted that the United
States should create a policy `for the long term that would
best respond to the challenge of social, economic, and
democratic development in the region as well as internal and
external threats to its security and stability.'"

"For the U.S., CAFTA is the beginning of a broader plan in
Latin America that will allow it to reinforce its leadership
in the hemisphere and it will allow our countries to
modernize and progress with other values and customs.
However, those who are not prepared to face the challenges
will be buried. Ability, creativity, and competition will
replace mediocrity and opportunism."

Palmer