MEDIA REACTION ON SECRETARY OF DEFENSE MEETING WITH

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 002155

SIPDIS

DEPT. FOR WHA/PD; IIP/G/WHA DIPASQUALE; AND IIP/T/ES
DEPT. FOR PM, WHA/PPC, AND WHA/CEN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KPAO MOPS PREL PGOV HO
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON SECRETARY OF DEFENSE MEETING WITH
CENTAM MODS, OCTOBER 14, 2005



1. On 10/14 the San Pedro Sula-based liberal daily "Tiempo"
ran an editorial entitled "Regional Security." "The
Secretaries of Defense and Security of Central AMERICA met

SIPDIS
in Key Biscayne, Florida, with the Secretary of Defense of
the United States, Donald Rumsfeld, with the main objective
of creating a regional security force."

"In this meeting, the first of its kind in the history of
North American relations, Mexico and the Dominican Republic
participated as observers, while the U.S. initiative was
supported decisively by Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras,
and Nicaragua."

"According to information from the international press, the
proposal is intended to establish a rapid response force to
combat terrorism, narcotrafficking and transnational gangs."

"The participation of the armed forces in this regional
security force is interesting, since there already exists a
treaty framework for regional democratic security. We
suppose that whatever collective agreement emerges coincides
with this treaty already in full effect."

"The declarations of Secretary Rumsfeld are opportune in the
sense that with more organization and cooperation we can
destroy the threats that exist against security `only
together we can face these threats.'"

"But the Minister of the Interior of Belize, Ralf Fonseca,
has valid concerns when he insists that, in regards to the
creation of a regional security force, the role of the armed
forces and the military be very clear `to counter the risk
of militarizing nations or politicizing the armed forces.'"

Williard