RESPONSE DEMARCHE - HONDURAN INITIATIVE TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEGUCIGALPA 000315 SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/05/2019 TAGS: HO KDEM PGOV SUBJECT: RESPONSE DEMARCHE - HONDURAN INITIATIVE TO ABROGATE 1962 AND 1964 OAS RESOLUTIONS ON CUBA REF: A. EMAIL DEMARCHE 5/4/2009 ¶B. PHONE CONVERSATION WEBSTER & AMB 5/4/2009 Classified By: Ambassador Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (b & d). ¶1. (C) On the evening of May 4, the Ambassador delivered demarche (as per reftelS). The Ambassador told Zelaya that we had appreciated his passing to us the draft text on Cuba for the OAS General Assembly Declaration. The Ambassador said that senior Administration officials had carefully reviewed the draft and found it to be counterproductive. The Ambassador said that the Administration of President Obama had embarked the United States on a more open, flexible and engaged policy approach on Cuba. Nevertheless, the fundamental tenant of U.S. policy toward Cuba remained support for democracy and the defense of basic human rights. The Ambassador stressed the demarche point that the proposed Honduran draft language was not fully consistent with the OAS Democratic Charter and our broader policy interests towards the hemisphere. Under these circumstances, the Ambassador urged Zelaya to instruct Foreign Minister Rodas to not/not present the proposed Cuba text at the regional coordinators meeting on May 5 in Washington. ¶2. (C) President Zelaya responded that in the interest of achieving greater hemispheric solidarity, Honduras was seeking a constructive and successful OAS General Assembly. Zelaya said that the Cuba paragraph that Honduras was proposing represented to a significant extent the views of many in the region, which was to establish a more open policy towards Cuba. In this regard, Zelaya said that this approach was actually in support of the new Obama Administration approach on Cuba. Zelaya stressed that he had sent us the draft language directly to U.S. officials in Washington to ensure that there were no surprises and to seek a consensus approach on Cuba. Zelaya said Honduras had discussed this proposal directly with OAS Secretary General Insulza who had agreed that Cuba needed to be on the agenda for the OAS General Assembly. Zelaya lamented that Insulza had not been more open in discussing the nature of the proposal on Cuba with the U.S. ¶3. (C) Zelaya said he did not want to have this issue cause difficulties with the U.S. He said he was open to any editing changes and suggestions the U.S. may have on how to approach this issue. The Ambassador said that this could possibly be discussed in more substance in the future, but at this moment the best way to avoid friction was for him to instruct Foreign Minister Rodas to not/not present the text at the OAS meeting tomorrow. Zelaya agreed and said he would instruct Foreign Minister Rodas to not submit the proposed text, although he believed that Cuba should and would be discussed at the meeting tomorrow. Zelaya said he would attempt to get a hold of Rodas and if he was unsuccessful, he would call Honduran Ambassador to the U.S. Roberto Flores, who was easier to reach, and pass on his instructions. The Ambassador and President Zelaya agreed to stay in touch on this issue. LLORENS