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