MEDIA REACTION ON CAFTA, JULY 27, 2005

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 001553

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, JULY 27, 2005



1. Editorial in Tegucigalpa-based liberal daily "La Tribuna"
entitled "At Stake." For the Bush administration, more than
a commercial treaty that will have little immediate effect
on the North American economy, what is at stake [in the vote
on CAFTA] is the President's image in Latin American
nations, his commercial policy throughout the hemisphere and
the Administration's agenda in Congress."

"If he can't get CAFTA through Congress, it will be
difficult for him to get support on other issues that
require legislative approval, and the Administration will
have a lot of difficulties for the rest of the second term.
That is why President Bush is personally negotiating with
Congressmen and using all his political influence and
presidential power to achieve a favorable vote."

"All of the recent statements about CAFTA-DR, especially
from the Salvadoran president, have been made for the
benefit of the undecided Congressmen. In a matter of hours,
it should all be over."


2. Op-ed by Saul Hernandez Bolivar in San Pedro Sula-based
liberal daily "La Prensa" entitled "CAFTA is not the
Problem." "This may help explain why the country doesn't
grow at the pace it should. There are obstacles: a culture
of dependency that gets in the way of business, the lack of
infrastructure, and a `lot of donated fish but few lessons
in fishing.'"

"The traditional and leftist parties, enemies of FTA, should
be proposing ways to stimulate development in border and
coastal areas and to optimize infrastructure, etc. and stop
wasting time on issues such as elections. The problem is not
CAFTA, it is the lack of vision that has stopped us from
going forward because we don't have a strategy."

Tuebner