Honduran President Maduro Letter to President Bush

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 000012

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 Maduro Letter to President Bush
With Invitation to January 27 Presidential Inauguration

Ref: Tegucigalpa 11

05 Tegucigalpa 2573


1. The Honduran Ministry of Foreign Affairs, under cover of
a diplomatic note dated January 3, 2006, sent the Embassy a
letter dated December 27, 2005, from Honduran President
Ricardo Maduro to President Bush inviting him to attend Jose
Manuel "Mel" Zelaya Rosales' January 27, 2006 inauguration.
The letter follows President-elect Zelaya's December 21,
2005 letter to President Bush on the same topic (ref B),and
President-elect Zelaya's December 28, 2005 letters to
various USG VIPs, including Secretary of State Rice, also on
the same topic (ref A). Post is e-mailing a scanned copy of
the letter to WHA/CEN and will pouch the original of
President Maduro's letter to the Honduran Desk Officer.
Unofficial Embassy translation of the letter follows.


2. Begin unofficial Embassy translation:

Ricardo Maduro
President of the Republic of Honduras

Tegucigalpa, M.D.C.
December 27, 2005

Excellency:

As the mandate to be President of Honduras given to me by
the Honduran people four years ago comes to an end, I wish
to extend to you my thanks for the friendship you have shown
me. I also wish to take this opportunity to extend to you a
most cordial invitation to take part in the Inauguration
Ceremony for my successor, Mr. Manuel Zelaya Rosales, which
will take place in Tegucigalpa, on January 27, 2006.

It will be a great honor for Honduras to welcome you as our
guest and your presence will further strengthen the joyous
and strong ties of friendship shared by our two nations.

I look forward to receiving a favorable response from you to
my invitation, and I take this opportunity to express to you
the assurances of my highest and distinguished
consideration.

/s/

Ricardo Maduro

His Excellency
George W. Bush
President of the United States of America


3. End unofficial Embassy translation.


4. As previously noted, Post will RSVP to the GOH on behalf
of the USG delegation to the Zelaya inauguration once it has
been selected in Washington.

Ford