AMBASSADOR WOLFF MEETS WITH HONDURAN PR REINA

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000777

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/17/2019
TAGS: PREL UNGA HO
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR WOLFF MEETS WITH HONDURAN PR REINA

Classified By: Ambassador Alejandro D. Wolff, Deputy Permanent
Representative, for Reasons 4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary. In a meeting with Ambassador Wolff, August
17, Honduran PermRep Reina Idiaquez said the OAS must set a
firm, September 1 deadline to reinstate Zelaya and ensure a
legitimate election process, otherwise the GOH would request
UN Security Council involvement. Reina said the U.S. sent a
very good signal to the interim regime by recently denying
visas for electoral commission members. He noted the defacto
government froze the mission's assets but that there were
sufficient funds to cover staff salaries through the end of
the month. Ambassador Wolff told Reina that recent comments,
including those of Deputy Foreign Minister Valle, were
baseless, tendentious and damage the Zelaya camp. End
Summary.


2. (C) Ambassador Wolff met with Honduran PermRep Reina
Idiaquez, August 17, at the latter's request. Reina said that
President Zelaya had asked him to convey to USUN the
importance of the OAS setting a firm deadline following the
OAS Foreign Ministers' mission, that would have to end before
September 1, the beginning of the electoral process in
Honduras. Any such process without Zelaya's re-installation,
Reina continued, would be illegitimate. Ambassador Wolff
inquired how the GOH expected to incentivize meeting the
deadline and what consequences did the GOH envision should
the deadline not be met? Reina responded that the GOH would
request that the UN Security Council take up the matter.
Reina reiterated Zelaya's view that the electoral process
cannot start without the restitution of the legitimate
government.


3. (C) Reina also raised the recent denial of visa
applications for members of the electoral commission who had
requested to travel to the U.S. to take the soundings of
Honduran communities in the U.S. (which he described as a
routine matter during previous election cycles). Reina noted
that these decisions were causing a lot of questions among
the de facto authorities and underscored that it was a very
good signal from the U.S. that the election process would not
be business as usual given the current circumstances in the
country.


4. (C) Reina also indicated that his mission and staff were
struggling financially as the de facto government had frozen
payment and financial support, including apartment leases in
the government's name. He said that they had sufficient
funds to stretch out staff salaries until the end of the
month. (Note: the Hondurans were able to tap into payment
overages made previously to the UN peacekeeping account
($150,000) and we understand can access another $75,000 if
necessary. End Note)


5. (C) Ambassador Wolff took the opportunity to lay down
another marker regarding U.S. concern about ongoing Chavez
involvement, his unhelpful comments, and the most recent
statement by deputy Foreign Minister Patricia Valle alleging
U.S. involvement in the coup. Wolff said these were without
basis and not helpful, and he underscored how they negatively
affect the Zelaya camp. Reina said he understood and would
make the point with Zelaya.


6. (C) Comment: USUN notes that the deadline described by
Reina coincides with the start of the U.S. presidency of the
Security Council. We should not rule out that the approach
laid out by Reina may be a coordinated political effort by
the Zelaya camp (or some of their backers) to ensure this
issue is dealt with by the Security Council during our
presidency. Zelaya's camp will also have to decide how it
will be represented at the UNGA General Debate in the latter
part of September, which will be an important international
platform.
RICE