Honduran President-Elect Zelaya's Letters of

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEGUCIGALPA 000011

SIPDIS

DEPT. FOR WHA, WHA/CEN, WHA/USOAS, H, AND S/ES-CR
NSC FOR DAN FISK
DNI FOR AMB NEGROPONTE
DHS FOR AMB ARCOS
STATE PASS IAF FOR AMB PALMER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL OPDC PGOV OREP OVIP HO
SUBJECT: Honduran President-Elect Zelaya's Letters of
Invitation to January 27, 2006 Inauguration to USG VIPs

Ref: 05 Tegucigalpa 2573


1. Ambassador Jose Eduardo Martell, General Coordinator of
the Honduran Presidential Inauguration, under cover of a
December 28 letter to PolChief (received by the Political
Section December 30),sent the Embassy letters dated
December 21 from President-elect Jose Manuel "Mel" Zelaya
Rosales to the nine current or former USG officials (see
paragraph 2). Post also received January 3, under cover
note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a letter dated
December 27 from President Ricardo Maduro to President Bush
inviting him to attend Zelaya's inauguration (see
forthcoming septel for informal translation.)


2. Zelaya's letters were addressed to:
- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
- former President William J. Clinton
- former President James E. Carter, Jr.
- Senator Hillary Clinton
- Ambassador John Negroponte, Director of National
Intelligence
- Ambassador Cris Arcos, DHS Director of International
Affairs
- Ambassador Larry Palmer, President of the Inter-American
Foundation
- Ambassador Frank Almaguer, OAS Director of the Department
of Administration and Finance (Note: Post is giving this
letter to the OAS office in Tegucigalpa. End Note.)
- Ambassador Robert White, President of the Center of
International Policy (CIP),an NGO. (Note: Post is giving
this letter to the CIP office in Tegucigalpa. End Note.)


3. The letters all appear to be roughly identical to the
letter sent December 21 to President Bush; invitations to
attend Zelaya's inauguration on January 27, 2006. Post
emailed a scanned version of the Zelaya-Bush letter to
WHA/CEN December 22, and will pouch the originals of
President-elect Zelaya's newest letters to WHA/CEN. Post
requests assistance from WHA/CEN (and WHA/USOAS and H) to
pass these invitations to the invitees. Unofficial Embassy
translation of a generic version of the letter follows.


4. Begin unofficial Embassy translation:

Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales
President-elect

December 21, 2005

Dear Invitee,

I have the honor to inform you that last November 27, the
Honduran people went to the polls to elect the supreme
authorities of the country, as part of the process to
strengthen the democratic institutions of my country.

It was the sovereign will of the electorate to grant my
Liberal Party candidacy the majority of votes, thus,
bestowing on me the high honor of becoming President of the
Republic of Honduras for the period 2006-2010.

The Honduran Constitution states that I shall be sworn in as
President of the Republic during the Presidential
Inauguration Ceremony to be held on Friday, January 27,

2006. I would be greatly honored to be able to count upon
the representation of Your Excellency's Government, most
ably presided by you, and wish to extend, hereby, a most
cordial invitation to accompany me in this event.

With the assurance that your presence will strengthen the
already traditional ties of friendship that exist between
our two nations, allow me to take this opportunity to extend
to you the expression of my highest and distinguished
consideration.

/s/

Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales


5. End unofficial Embassy translation.


6. According to an enclosure with the letter, replies should
be addressed to:

Ambassador Eduardo Rosales
Accreditations Coordinator
Te1efax: (504) 238-5547
Telephone: (504) 238-5497, 250-2827, 250-2390, 250-2394
Cell phone: (504) 385-6511
e-mail: transmision2006(at)popa.hn
Mail: HSM Plaza San Martin, Suite 711
Tegucigalpa, M.D.C.
Honduras


7. Post will RSVP on behalf of the USG delegation once it
has been selected in Washington.

Ford