Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09TEGUCIGALPA581
2009-07-13 13:27:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tegucigalpa
how-toVZCZCXRO5812 PP RUEHAO RUEHCD RUEHGA RUEHGD RUEHHA RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHMT RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHQU RUEHRD RUEHRG RUEHRS RUEHTM RUEHVC DE RUEHTG #0581 1941327 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 131327Z JUL 09 FM AMEMBASSY TEGUCIGALPA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0107 INFO RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS PRIORITY RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHAAA/THE WHITE HOUSE WASHDC PRIORITY RUMIAAA/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUMIAAA/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL//CINC/POLAD// PRIORITY RUEAHND/CDRJTFB SOTO CANO HO PRIORITY RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY 1101
C O N F I D E N T I A L TEGUCIGALPA 000581
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CEN A/S TOM SHANNON
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM HO
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT ARIAS ON MEDIATION
Classified By: Classified by Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (b & d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L TEGUCIGALPA 000581
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CEN A/S TOM SHANNON
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM HO
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT ARIAS ON MEDIATION
Classified By: Classified by Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (b & d)
1. (C) President Arias called the Ambassador to inquire as to
the status of his efforts to soften the position of the de
facto regime. The Ambassador informed him that the meeting
with regime leadership was scheduled for today at 3pm. The
Ambassador promised Arias that he would brief him after the
meeting.
2. (C) Arias told the Ambassador that mediation talks on July
9-10 in San Jose had gone as well as could be expected under
the circumstances. He confirmed he had had separate meetings
with President Zelaya and de facto regime President Roberto
Michelett, but was not able to bring the two together.
3. (C) Arias said the work of the commissions had gone well
after a slow start. He noted that the Micheletti team argued
that June 28 was not a coup, while Zelaya team said there was
no doubt it was a coup. Arias told both sides that June 28
was a coup for the entire world -- and stressed that the
Micheletti team needed to understand this. Arias said he told
both delegations that he was involved in the mediation
process based on requests for his involvement from both sides
in the Honduran conflict. If that changed he would pull out.
Arias said he had strong support from Insulza, the U.S. and
Mexico.
4. (C) Arias complained about Chavez's effort to scuttle his
mediation initiative. Arias noted that Chavez was directly
attacking President Obama and Secretary Clinton and saying
that his mediation effort was an American
trick. Arias reported that Chavez was seeking to convene the
Rio Group and bring down his effort. He said Chavez called
Calderon to weaken support for his mediation. Arias said we
needed to put pressure on Micheletti. Arias and the
Ambassador agreed that Zelaya was comfortable coming back as
a lame duck and would accept most terms in the negotiation
including amnesty, a national unity government and no Fourth
Urn. The Ambassador and Arias also agreed that Chavez was
hurting Zelaya's cause. Chavez's rhetoric was polarizing the
US Congress along ideological grounds. This would hurt Zelaya
since Republicans would lean towards the Micheletti position.
Arias stressed that we needed to pull Zelaya away from Chavez.
LLORENS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CEN A/S TOM SHANNON
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM HO
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT ARIAS ON MEDIATION
Classified By: Classified by Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (b & d)
1. (C) President Arias called the Ambassador to inquire as to
the status of his efforts to soften the position of the de
facto regime. The Ambassador informed him that the meeting
with regime leadership was scheduled for today at 3pm. The
Ambassador promised Arias that he would brief him after the
meeting.
2. (C) Arias told the Ambassador that mediation talks on July
9-10 in San Jose had gone as well as could be expected under
the circumstances. He confirmed he had had separate meetings
with President Zelaya and de facto regime President Roberto
Michelett, but was not able to bring the two together.
3. (C) Arias said the work of the commissions had gone well
after a slow start. He noted that the Micheletti team argued
that June 28 was not a coup, while Zelaya team said there was
no doubt it was a coup. Arias told both sides that June 28
was a coup for the entire world -- and stressed that the
Micheletti team needed to understand this. Arias said he told
both delegations that he was involved in the mediation
process based on requests for his involvement from both sides
in the Honduran conflict. If that changed he would pull out.
Arias said he had strong support from Insulza, the U.S. and
Mexico.
4. (C) Arias complained about Chavez's effort to scuttle his
mediation initiative. Arias noted that Chavez was directly
attacking President Obama and Secretary Clinton and saying
that his mediation effort was an American
trick. Arias reported that Chavez was seeking to convene the
Rio Group and bring down his effort. He said Chavez called
Calderon to weaken support for his mediation. Arias said we
needed to put pressure on Micheletti. Arias and the
Ambassador agreed that Zelaya was comfortable coming back as
a lame duck and would accept most terms in the negotiation
including amnesty, a national unity government and no Fourth
Urn. The Ambassador and Arias also agreed that Chavez was
hurting Zelaya's cause. Chavez's rhetoric was polarizing the
US Congress along ideological grounds. This would hurt Zelaya
since Republicans would lean towards the Micheletti position.
Arias stressed that we needed to pull Zelaya away from Chavez.
LLORENS