HONDURAN FM JIMENEZ TELLS AMB THAT CENTRAL

S E C R E T TEGUCIGALPA 000942 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA, WHA/CEN, AND WHA/PPC STATE FOR EAP, EAP/CM, EAP/TC, AND IO NSC FOR DAN FISK E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/24/2036 TAGS: PREL PGOV ETRD ECON PINR CH TW HO SUBJECT: HONDURAN FM JIMENEZ TELLS AMB THAT CENTRAL AMERICAN FMS MET WITH PRC FM IN MEXICO CITY REF: A. TEGUCIGALPA 853 ¶B. TEGUCIGALPA 355 ¶C. STATE 25012 ¶D. TEGUCIGALPA 214 ¶E. USDAO TEGUCIGALPA HO IIR 6 841 9879 06 ¶F. USDAO TEGUCIGALPA HO IIR 6 841 9882 06 ¶G. 05 TEGUCIGALPA 1833 ¶H. 05 TEGUCIGALPA 1691 ¶I. 05 BEIJING 1238 Classified By: Ambassador Charles A. Ford; Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) This is an action request for Embassy Beijing, Embassy Mexico, and the other Embassies in Central America. Please see paragraph 4. ¶2. (C) During a May 22 meeting between Honduran President Jose Manuel "Mel" Zelaya Rosales and Foreign Minister Milton Jimenez Puerto and AMB, DCM, and PolChief, FM Jimenez said that he and other Central American Foreign Ministers (with the exception of the Salvadoran FM) had met May 18 with the PRC Foreign Minister in Mexico City. The meeting was brokered by the Mexican FM. ¶2. (C) FM Jimenez said that the Costa Ricans appear to be drawing closer to the PRC and will soon sign a commercial deal with the PRC. He indicated that the GOCR might change recognition from Taiwan to the PRC, noting that the PRC had offered to double Taiwan's assistance to Costa Rica. ¶3. (C) President Zelaya said that he had an invitation to visit Taiwan in July and that he planned to make the visit. He noted that he would not abandon a friend of Honduras, although the GOH will become closer to the PRC. He indicated that it appeared that Panama would soon change recognition from Taiwan to the PRC, indicating that PRC financing for the Panama Canal renovations was key. The AMB reiterated his offer for FM Jimenez to meet with Department of State experts on the China/Taiwan issue the next time he was in Washington. President Zelaya said that the GOH will take part in discussions with the PRC but will be careful not to take any rash decisions on Taiwan and the PRC. ¶4. (C) Action request for Embassy Beijing, Embassy Mexico, and the other Embassies in Central America: Post requests that Posts report on any additional information they can obtain from host country's MFA regarding the meeting with the PRC FM in advance of Honduran President Zelaya's June 5 meeting with POTUS. Ford