FOREIGN MINISTRY ACCEPTS COPIES OF CREDENTIALS;

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEGUCIGALPA 000853 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/16/2018 TAGS: PREL HO PGOV SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTRY ACCEPTS COPIES OF CREDENTIALS; CREDENTIALING CEREMONY SCHEDULED FOR FRIDAY WITH PRESIDENT ZELAYA REF: TEGUCIGALPA 849 Classified By: Ambassador Hugo Llorens, reasons 1.4 (b & d) ¶1. (U) Ambassador delivered copies of his credentials to Acting Foreign Minster Eduardo Rosales Ramirez September 16. Protocol Chief Ambassador Napoleon Alvarez Alvarado and DCM also attended. Rosales handed the Ambassador a note verbal (informal translation below) scheduling the credentialing ceremony with President Zelaya for Friday, September 19 at 5pm. Rosales was extremely friendly expressed his and his government's desire to move beyond the credentialing issue and for close relations with the U.S. ¶2. (C) Rosales apologized to the Ambassador for the postponement of last Friday's scheduled credentialing (reftel),simply stating that the delay was caused by "solidarity and concerns of sovereignty." The Ambassador told Rosales that his instructions from the President and the Secretary were to maintain close and warm relations with Honduras and the Zelaya administration, and that while he took no/no personal umbrage at the delay, the cancellation of the credentialing meeting was a negative and had caused serious concerns in Washington. The Ambassador added that Honduras' standing had been damaged and that the ramifications of this action would make his job more difficult in seeking support for Honduras in Washington. ¶3. (U) The event received heavy press coverage, with a photo spray during the handing over of the credential copies and a press covering the Ambassador's entry and exit. The Ambassador made a brief statement during his exit stating that relations between the U.S. and Honduras were good, he had presented copies of his credentials to the Vice Foreign Minister, and that he had received a formal note scheduling his credentialing ceremony for this Friday at 5pm. He took no questions. ¶4. (U) An informal translation of the note follows: "The Secretariat of Foreign Relations General Direction of Diplomatic Ceremony - presents its greeting to the Honorable Embassy of the United States of AMERICA and has the honor to inform that the Ceremonial Presentation of Credential letters of Mr. Ambassador Hugo Llorens to the President of the Republic has been scheduled for Friday, 19 September of 2008, at 17:00 hours. The General Direction of Ceremony will forward the Instructional correspondence that regulates the presentation of credentials ceremony. The Secretariat of Foreign Relations- General Direction of Ceremony takes the opportunity to reiterate to the Honorable Embassy of the United States of America, the assurance of its highest consideration." LLORENS