WHA DAS MADISON MEETS WITH HONDURAN PRESIDENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 TEGUCIGALPA 000853 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR D, E, AND P STATE FOR WHA, WHA/PPC, WHA/EPSC, AND WHA/CEN STATE FOR EAP/CM, EAP/TC, INL/LP, AND PRM STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAM NSC FOR DAN FISK TREASURY FOR DDOUGLASS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2036 TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON ETRD KCRM SMIG SNAR PINR HO SUBJECT: WHA DAS MADISON MEETS WITH HONDURAN PRESIDENT ZELAYA AND CABINET, PREPS FOR POTUS MEETING IN JUNE REF: TEGUCIGALPA 809 TEGUCIGALP 00000853 001.2 OF 004 Classified By: Ambassador Charles A. Ford; Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: WHA DAS Kirsten Madison visited Honduras April 26-28 and met with Honduran President Jose Manuel "Mel" Zelaya, key members of his cabinet, congress, and the business community. Key themes of the visit included cooperation on regional security problems such as narcotrafficking, Honduras' relationship with Venezuela including PetroCaribe, and the unique opportunity presented by CAFTA, MCC, and debt relief for Honduras to reform its economic reality and boost growth that will reduce poverty. DAS Madison and AMB's frank points on Venezuela were tough but necessary for the GOH to hear, as the GOH appears to seek to straddle the U.S.-Venezuelan divide. While the visit served as an excellent preparatory session for the planned June 5 meeting with POTUS, Post will push the GOH to focus more on specific issues Zelaya wishes to discuss. End Summary. Meeting with President Zelaya -------------- ¶2. (U) WHA DAS Kirsten Madison visited Honduras April 26-28 and met with Honduran President Jose Manuel "Mel" Zelaya, key members of his cabinet, congress, and the business community. The visit followed her visit to Nicaragua. ¶3. (C) DAS Madison met April 27 with President Zelaya in the Presidential Palace. AMB, DCM, and PolChief accompanied DAS Madison, and Vice President Elvin Santos, Foreign Minister Milton Jimenez, and Minister of Public Security Alvaro Romero accompanied President Zelaya. The meeting followed a private dinner the night before with DAS Madison and EmbOffs with VP Santos, Minister of the Presidency Yani Rosenthal, Minister of Defense Aristedes Mejia, and Minister of Trade and Industry Elizabeth Azcona. Zelaya noted that, as his Administration approached the 100 day mark, he had already tangled with transnational companies, gangs, the press, and others. The president noted that he had maintained good relations with the Catholic Church, the U.S. Embassy, and local business groups. In his estimation, notable early achievements were the extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Hondurans in the U.S. by the USG, the implementation of the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) on April 1, and international debt forgiveness. Zelaya noted that the GOH had close counternarcotics cooperation with the USG, especially the DEA, and sought to strengthen the role of Soto Cano Air Force Base near Comayagua (which DAS Madison had visited that morning). He noted that narcotrafficking in La Mosquitia and along the Nicaraguan border was a serious concern. The AMB noted that DEA had developed a draft counternarcotics plan for the GOH that the Embassy would share with Minister Romero. ¶4. (C) DAS Madison made clear the USG valued a close, collaborative relationship and looked forward to the June 5 POTUS-President Zelaya meeting. She emphasized that the POTUS looks for regional partners and would want not only to discuss bilateral issues but also regional issues like what can be done to bolster Nicaragua's democracy. President Zelaya said that FM Jimenez would work with the AMB on agenda items for the visit, saying that he would like to discuss ranching/farming issues with POTUS. DAS Madison noted that the Embassy would work closely with State and the NSC on the agenda. DAS Madison said the USG hoped that CAFTA countries TEGUCIGALP 00000853 002.2 OF 004 would use the agreement as a centerpiece in an effort to break open still rather closed economic structures and to extend prosperity to a broader segment of the populace, which is essential to the long-term strength of the region's democracies. DAS Madison stressed the importance of people experiencing genuine positive change. She said that the region must move the democratic, free market approach to the next level, noting that although some try to characterize it that way, the USG does not view the region in left/right terms but in terms of whether or not leaders are leading democratically and working to extend prosperity to their citizens through open markets. She noted that in the Millennium Challenge Account compact with Honduras anti-corruption was a key benchmark. She said that she had discussed this issue earlier the same day in a lunch with Liberal Party, National Party, and Christian Democrat Party members of the congressional leadership and EmbOffs. (Note: She hit on many of the same themes in an April 28 breakfast with leaders of business organizations and EmbOffs. End Note) ¶5. (C) Zelaya said that there were three key problems Honduras faced: (1) the energy problem - rise of oil prices which affected the prices of energy generation, transportation, and consumer goods, (2) levels of poverty were too high - need to improve public investment in improving the life of the poor; CAFTA is an instrument for investment/economic growth, and (3) crime - social problems, transnational crimes, and a loss of values; augmenting police and social programs were key. ¶6. (C) The Ambassador highlighted the May 5-7 National Security Strategy Workshop that the U.S. Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies would conduct with the Minister of Defense, FM Jimenez, and other senior GOH officials and members of the Country Team. (Note: EmbOffs later learned that due to his son's wedding, President Zelaya will not be able to attend the closing presentation at the workshop. End Note.) ¶7. (C) Zelaya said he wants to liberalize commerce, monopolies, oligopolies, etc., noting that competition is key. President Zelaya said he found state or private sector monopolies problematic, saying they led to poor quality, high prices, and corruption. The AMB said the USG wanted to help on breaking monopolies and reforming the economic landscape. ¶8. (C) DAS Madison noted that Venezuela is a major U.S. concern on three levels: the increasingly anti-democratic behavior of the GOV in Venezuela, the negative impact of Venezuela's activities on the dynamics in the hemisphere, and the implications of the Venezuelan-Cuban axis for the prospects of a genuine transition in Cuba. Zelaya said Chavez is a populist. DAS Madison emphasized that USG views CAFTA countries as partners, noting that there was concern about the future of Nicaragua. She emphasized the importance of robust support for Guatemala's UN Security Council candidacy (vice Venezuela). Zelaya responded that he did not believe in signing up for ideologies, noting that when ideologies impede change they do not work. He underlined the close friendship with the U.S. on commercial, social, and political issues. Zelaya said that the GOH was democratic, not populist. Zelaya indicated that the GOH was looking at PetroCaribe, checking out its business terms, and noted that the Dominican Republic had signed on to PetroCaribe. Zelaya said that the GOH was pro-President Bush. ¶9. (C) The AMB said the U.S. buys oil from Venezuela. TEGUCIGALP 00000853 003.2 OF 004 However, he noted that PetroCaribe would lead not just to buying oil but taking on political commitments. AMB said that there had been a series of problems with the Venezuelans failing to comply with the terms of PetroCaribe. While noting that high gas prices are problematic for lots of countries, including the U.S., the AMB warned Zelaya to be careful, and that a PetroCaribe deal could end up disappointing the Honduran people when it failed. Zelaya noted that the Ambassador had made an important point. The AMB noted that Venezuela is offering an approach that is meant to be an alternative to the CAFTA model. ¶10. (C) Zelaya noted that he and several cabinet members would be going to Tujillo on the Caribbean coast for the May 4 visit of the USS Underwood. AMB noted the success the GOH had had thus far on fighting forest fires and crop burning fires, and congratulated Zelaya on the border demarcation with El Salvador. Meeting With Foreign Minister Jimenez -------------- ¶11. (C) In a meeting that immediately followed the Zelaya meeting, DAS Madison, AMB, DCM, and PolChief met with FM Jimenez in the Presidential Palace. FM Jimenez said Zelaya wanted to adjust the rules of the game for private interests to improve social conditions. He noted the high level of cynicism in Honduras. Jimenez said that the GOH must change the situation to avoid social conflicts that would put democracy at risk. He said that there would be no negative steps directed at investment, foreign or domestic. Honduras has been a closed market and that will no longer work, said the FM. Jimenez said that high profits have been made, such as with electricity generators, but little of these profits has been invested in Honduras. ¶12. (C) FM Jimenez had just returned from Spain where he met with the Spanish FM. He said that he conducted good meetings based on a strong bilateral relationship. The GOH sought greater Spanish investment in Honduras. Jimenez said that they talked about the UNSC race, and he made clear the GOH's support for Guatemala's candidacy. He said the Spanish FM said Spain would support the Central American position and along those lines lobby the European Union to support Guatemala's candidacy. ¶13. (C) The FM noted that Panama and the PRC were conducting negotiations and that the GOP may officially change recognition from Taiwan to the PRC. He said that PRC representatives had recently visited and that the trade relationship was key. Jimenez noted that the future of the PRC/Taiwanese unification issues was an issue of concern for the GOH. The FM welcomed an invitation from the AMB to meet with State experts on the China/Taiwan issue the next time he was in Washington. DAS Madison said she understood that a Panamanian shift could change the level of pressure on the GOH on this issue, but underlined that it was a decision that cannot be made in a vacuum and that the GOH would want to consider other factors before deciding any possible change in recognition. ¶14. (C) On immigration, Jimenez said that the GOH had a different position than Mexico and did not want the issue to negatively affect bilateral relations. DAS Madison noted it was important that regional immigration meetings not become part of the immigration firestorm that would worsen the already heated political debate in the U.S., noting that POTUS was working to have balanced immigration reform. TEGUCIGALP 00000853 004.2 OF 004 (Note: FM Jimenez did not attend the May 2 regional immigration meeting in Washington; the GOH was represented by its AMB to the U.S. End Note.) ¶15. (C) EmbOffs delivered demarches on the Proliferation Security Initiative and the Venezuelan Government's treatment of AMB Brownfield (septels). FM Jimenez said that the GOH has always had good relations with Venezuela. He noted that the fuel issue was an economic issue, and said PetroCaribe would be a last resort. He said the GOH needed a resolution of the high gas price problem. He noted that a Brazilian energy delegation would be visiting soon, and that a Spanish oil company was interested in the Honduran market. He noted that Venezuela had not had an Ambassador to Honduras for the last one and a half years, and still had not named one. Positive Visit Includes Frank Talk on PetroCaribe -------------- -------------- ¶16. (C) Comment: DAS Madison's visit highlighted both the positive aspects of the bilateral relationship as well as the concerns the U.S. has regarding Venezuela's motivations in the region, particularly with regard to PetroCaribe. It was important for President Zelaya and his top advisors to hear that POTUS is seeking not only progress on bilateral issues, but also leaders willing to step up, to work with the U.S., and to play constructive roles in the region. The frank talk on Venezuela was tough but necessary for the GOH to hear, as the GOH appears to seek to straddle the U.S.-Venezuelan divide (see reftel). Post will push the GOH to focus more on the planned June 5 meeting. Despite assurances, as of May 4 during a discussion with AMB, it was clear that neither President Zelaya nor FM Jimenez had done much thinking about what issues Zelaya would seek to discuss with POTUS. End Comment. ¶17. (U) This cable was cleared by DAS Madison. Ford