MEXICAN PRESIDENT-ELECT PROPOSES, CENTRAL AMERICAN

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 001893 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PINS CVIS XK SUBJECT: MEXICAN PRESIDENT-ELECT PROPOSES, CENTRAL AMERICAN SUMMIT ENDORSES DECLARATION CONDEMNING EXPANSION OF U.S.-MEXICO BORDER FENCE Sensitive but Unclassified. Please protect accordingly. ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: Mexican President-Elect Felipe Calderon proposed, and the representatives of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Belize, Colombia and the Dominican Republic attending the Central American Integration System Summit on Security (Septel) on 10/3, endorsed a declaration condemning the passage of legislation by the U.S. Congress to expand the border fence along the U.S.-Mexican border. Calderon, in introducing his initiative, was careful to praise President George W. Bush's efforts to promote "integrated" immigration reform, recognize the USG's sovereign right to protect its frontiers and ensure its security, and acknowledge the failings of Mexico and other regional countries to meet their citizens' economic needs. There was minimal open discussion of the declaration, which appeared to have been negotiated on the margins of the Summit. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) The anti-fence declaration was first raised publicly towards the end of the Summit, when the host, Honduran President Jose Manuel "Mel" Zelaya, saluted Calderon's presence. The Mexican President-Elect expressed his interest in augmenting Mexico's interaction with the members of the Central American Integration System (SICA),particularly in the energy field, before launching into a condemnation of the U.S. Congress' passage of legislation to augment the security fence along the U.S.-Mexican border. In proposing a joint declaration on this issue, Calderon stated that: -- the flow of migrants from Mexico and Central America to the U.S. is an "inevitable socio-economic problem" flowing from the inequalities of wealth and opportunities between the U.S. and its southern neighbors; -- he recognizes that the U.S. has legitimate national security interests in securing its borders, but believes that a "more integrated approach is needed;" -- he also recognizes that Mexico and the SICA countries need to do more to improve their domestic economic conditions to provide the growth and development required to meet their citizens' needs; -- the efforts of President Bush to develop an "integrated approach" are praiseworthy; but -- the passage of legislation by the U.S. Congress to significantly increase the border fence, on the other hand, is not an "integrated solution;" rather it represents a policy that will augment the loss of life by migrants who will continue to attempt to cross the frontier. ¶3. (U) Honduran President Zelaya responded to Calderon's proposal by stating that he and Salvadoran President Elias Antonio Saca had previously discussed the security problems posed by deportees from the U.S. with criminal records. He then expressed agreement with Calderon's praise for President Bush's efforts to adopt an "integrated approach to immigration reform," noted that there have been differences in opinion on this subject between the U.S. Executive and Legislative branches, and concluded that all Central American leaders share the Mexican President-Elect's concerns. Calderon said that a draft of the proposed declaration was being circulated and that Saca and Panamanian President Martin Torrijos had already seen it. The draft declaration was then read by the SICA Secretary General and adopted without further debate by the Summit attendees. ¶4. (U) Begin text of unofficial text of the Declaration (original faxed to WHA/CEN): The Heads of State of the Republics of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama; the Vice Presidents of Costa Rica and Nicaragua; the President-Elect of the United States of Mexico, and the representatives of Belize, Colombia and the Dominican Republic; In view of the development of decision taken by the Congress of the United States of America in relation to migration reform under discussion in that country and recognizing the sovereign right of countries to conduct their own migratory and security policy express the following: (1) That the partial measures which only contemplate the hardening of migratory policies do not represent a solution to confront the challenges that the migratory phenomenon presents, which is why we lament the adoption of decisions that to not integrally harmonize migratory and security policies, particularly with respect to the decision of the wall along the northern frontier of Mexico and the southern frontier of the United States of America. (2) Reaffirm the importance of developing migratory policies that include a legal, secure, ordered and efficient management of migratory flows that guarantee respect for the human and labor rights of migrants. (3) We make a call for the adoption of an integrated migratory reform that considers the positive socio-economic contributions of migrants in accordance with the demands of labor markets. (4) We decide to continue strengthening the constructive cooperation and dialogue between the receiving, transit and origin countries to promote positively the migratory processes and to combat the illicit traffic and trafficking in persons. (5) We reiterate our hope that the Congress of the United States adopts in its debates a focus that is integrated, just and viable, and that takes into account the legitimate security concerns of that North American nation, at the same time that permits the resolution in a humanitarian manner of the migratory situation of immigrants that live in that country. Agreed to in the Municipality of Zambrano, Francisco Morazan (Department),Honduras, the third day of the month of October, 2006. END TEXT. ¶5. (SBU) COMMENT: Calderon traveled to Honduras from El Salvador, and it appears that the he worked up the declaration in conjunction with President Saca while en route. The Mexican Ambassador to Honduras was notably absent from the Mexican delegation at the commencement of the Summit, only to appear towards the latter half of the session carrying a package that presumably consisted of copies of the draft declaration that were then distributed amongst the various delegations present with the exception of the U.S. observers. As noted, there was minimal discussion of the declaration apart from Calderon's proposal and Zelaya's response, both of which emphasized appreciation for President Bush's efforts while taking issue with U.S. congressional actions. END COMMENT. FORD