COURTESY VISIT WITH NEW FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEGUCIGALPA 000099 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL KSUM KDEM AORC ICJ KV SUBJECT: COURTESY VISIT WITH NEW FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER REF: STATE 11928 Classified By: Ambassador Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (b & d). ¶1. (C) Summary: The Ambassador paid a courtesy call on newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs Patricia Rodas, February 11. Discussion centered on upcoming Summit of Americas and the OAS General Assembly as well as President Manuel "Mel" Zelaya's upcoming trip to the Washington and Denver. Rodas commented on Chilean President Michelle Bachelet's recent visit to Honduras and the recent elections of a new Honduran Supreme Court and Attorney General. The Ambassador asked Rodas to consider having Honduras recognize Kosovo; she agreed to consider the issue. The meeting was conducted in a friendly atmosphere; while Rodas' ideology appeared now and then, it was clear she sought to maintain good relations with us. End Summary. Summit of the Americas and OAS Ministerial -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) The Ambassador, accompanied by DCM and CONOFF (notetaker),paid a courtesy visit to newly-appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs Patty Rodas February 11. The meeting began with a discussion of events on the Summit of Americas and OAS ministerial, the latter of which will be held in San Pedro Sula in May. The Ambassador highlighted the importance for Honduras of hosting the OAS Ministerial. Rodas said the OAS event would provide Honduras an opportunity to raise its profile in Latin America. She also mentioned her interest in possibly holding bilateral meetings with the Secretary if she attended the OAS event in San Pdero Sula. President Zelaya's Visit to Washington -------------- ¶3. (C) The Ambassador said that President Manuel "Mel" Zelaya's schedule for his visit to Washington the week of February 16 assured that the trip would be productive, emphasizing the importance of his meetings with the Secretaries of Energy, Agriculture, and Homeland Security. The follow-on visit to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado provides an excellent opportunity for Zelaya to get ahead on an issue of interest to the new US administration. Rodas agreed these meetings and the Colorado visit would be beneficial considering both President Zelaya and President Obama's interest in renewable energy, sustainable development, and immigration issues. Rodas took the opportunity to express frustration with the lack of response to President Zelaya,s letter sent last December to then President-elect Obama and requested the Ambassador,s assistance in this matter. The Ambassador agreed to pass the message on to the Department. Supreme Court/Attorney General -------------- ¶4. (C) Rodas noted January election of a new Supreme Court had been difficult for the Zelaya administration and that only through "luck" had a constitutional crisis been averted. She claimed Zelaya had stayed out of the process to elect a new Attorney General as he wanted to avoid a similar fight. U.S. Assistance/Merida -------------- ¶5. (C) Rodas noted that, given the global financial crisis, the GOH would welcome cooperation from any source, especially foreign investors regardless of origin. Ambassador Llorens agreed that cooperation with the GOH was always important for the USG and highlighted the numerous initiatives and programs of existing collaboration between the two countries including: Pathways to Prosperity, $50 million/annually in USAID assistance, the Millennium Challenge Corporation Account, the Merida Initiative, and our Peace Corps Volunteer program ) the largest in Latin America. The Ambassador noted that Honduras had been the first Central American TEGUCIGALP 00000099 002 OF 002 country to sign a MOU on the Merida program and brought Rodas up to date on the establishment of a US-Honduran multi-agency task force to oversee the program. The Ambassador also briefed Rodas on the recent visit of Department officials to discuss Honduras' role in Pathways, emphasizing that it provided Honduras an opportunity to play an active role in strengthening the economic relation of the member's countries. Rodas noted that the USG,s assistance is essential to Honduras, particularly in technical capacities, and accepted the Ambassador,s offer to provide her a full briefing on our MCC, USAID, Peace Corps and Merida programs. Bachelet Visit -------------- ¶6. (C) The visit of Chilean President Michelle Bachelet on February 9 (septel) went well, according to Rodas; the main result being promises in increased security assistance. Kosovo -------------- ¶7. (C) The Ambassador raised the issue of recognition of Kosovo, using talking points provided in reftel. Rodas listened intently and promised to consider the issue after consulting with her advisors. Comment -------------- ¶8. (C) The visit was extremely amicable and Rodas emphasized the importance of US-Honduran relations, US economic assistance, trade and investment relations, and the influence of the US economy on the region. Rodas expressed her interest in pursuing a &policy of cooperation8 with the USG throughout the meeting. Nevertheless, her ideological leanings came though several times, particularly on her comments on the need to provide greater technical assistance at the grassroots level and criticism of Honduran business for being predatory and unimaginative. Her comments on the need for greater assistance at the grassroots level was reflective of her lack of knowledge on our assistance programs in Honduras and we will use her agreement to participate in an Embassy briefing to educate her on our efforts. Throughout the meeting, Rodas expressed her support for President Obama and seemed optimistic about forging a closer relationship with the United States under his administration. We believe that she continues to operate under the instructions of President Zelaya to not let her ideology get in the way of maintaining good relations with the US. We believe that getting a formal response to President Zelaya,s letter to President Obama would be a positive action and contribute to enhancing good will in the relationship. LLORENS