(U) 2009 SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS (C-AL9-00153)

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEGUCIGALPA 000187 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/10/2019 TAGS: PINR PGOV PREL SUBJECT: (U) 2009 SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS (C-AL9-00153) REF: SECSTATE 20677 Classified By: Ambassador Hugo Llorens, reasons 1.4 (b & d) ¶1. (U) This cable is in response to reftel demarche regarding Honduras' participation in the Summit of the Americas. ¶2. (U) Poloff met with Jose Lorenzana, the Director of Multilateral Affairs at the Honduran Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to discuss GOH's aspirations and plans for the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago on March 10. Lorenzana stated that GOH representatives were currently in Washington, DC working on the draft Declaration of Commitment entitled "Securing Our Citizens' Future by Promoting Human Prosperity, Energy Security and Environmental Sustainability" which would be the focus of the GOH at the Summit. Lorenzana stated that the GOH has made no plans to address themes outside of the draft declaration nor has any aspirations for USG participation beyond support of the Declaration of Commitment. After inquiring if POTUS would be attending, Lorenzana asked for more time to possibly request specific bilateral meetings with USG officials and noted that both President Manuel "Mel" Zelaya and Secretary of Foreign Affairs Patricia Rodas would likely attend the Summit. Two days later, the Honduran Minister of Agriculture stated that he would seek agreements with POTUS and all OAS countries to dedicate ten percent of their budgets and earmark future official development assistance to support small-scale agriculture in the face of global recession. As of March 17, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs could not confirm or deny the Minister of Agriculture's statements. ¶3. (C) President Zelaya has used populist rhetoric in past public fora, but he usually does not engage in hard-core rhetoric if U.S. officials are present. When he has made anti-U.S. statements it has usually been either in Honduras, playing to a purely Honduran crowd, or in places where this rhetoric is expected, such as during his visit to Cuba March 2 - 4. Lorenzana stated that the GOH does not plan on addressing any topics related to Cuba. We believe that the GOH would support a statement on ending the embargo on Cuba, as Zelaya stated his support for that position during his visit to Cuba, but we do not think they will be the impetus behind organizing such a statement. ¶4. (C) We do not believe that Zelaya or the GOH would actively work to undercut or sabotage the summit process. ¶5. (C) If Chavez or another leader attempted to force a controversial agenda item, we believe they might get lukewarm support from Zelaya and/or other GOH leaders. Honduras would not be a driving force behind such initiatives. ¶5. (C) We do not believe that Zelaya and the GOH would support efforts to undercut any of the International Human Rights institutions. Several of the highest ranking members of the Zelaya administration have brought their own personal human rights cases against previous governments of Honduras and some have currently cases before these institutions. LLORENS