HONDURAN PERM REP INQUIRES IF USG CAN HOST

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000803 SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA, WHA/CEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2019 TAGS: PREL UNGA HO SUBJECT: HONDURAN PERM REP INQUIRES IF USG CAN HOST ZELAYA'S NY VISIT FOR UNGA GENERAL DEBATE Classified By: Ambassador Alejandro D. Wolff, Deputy Permanent Represen tative, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. This is an action request. See paras 3 and 6. ZELAYA MAY TRAVEL TO NEW YORK AFTER WASHINGTON -------------- - ¶2. (C) In a meeting with Ambassador Wolff, August 28, Honduran PermRep Reina Idiaquez reported that President Zelaya would be coming to Washington on Sunday or Monday (Aug 30-Sept 1),and perhaps New York later in the week. Reina did not have details on Zelaya's agenda in either city but said the president wanted to talk to as many people as possible, and hoped to meet with the OAS and with Secretary Clinton or another senior Department official. Reina said he would travel to Washington to see Zelaya as well. CAN THE U.S. HOST ZELAYA IN NEW YORK? -------------- ¶3. (C) Reina confirmed that Zelaya planned to address the UN General Assembly during the general debate (he is currently scheduled to speak on Wednesday afternoon, September 23). Reina said that Zelaya planned to come for three days and, wondered whether the U.S. would be able to "host" the visit. Stressing that he was the author of the idea and only exploring it as an option, Reina underscored the strong political message of support for Zelaya and the constitutional order in Honduras U.S. hosting would send. (Comment: although he did not say so explicitly, Reina seemed to indicate that others (e.g. Venezuela) would jump at the chance to bankroll Zelaya's visit to New York, something Reina may be trying to prevent. End Comment). Ambassador Wolff said that he would send the request to Washington for review. He noted that there would be legal and practical as well as political issues to consider due to the potential precedent this might set for the U.S. as host country. He also noted that Zelaya would have a more successful visit to the UNGA if he arrived having already signed Arrias' San Jose Accord. Reina took the point, and asked Wolff to provide any initial reaction from Washington to the hosting option. ¶4. (C) Reina lamented that Honduran society was becoming dangerously polarized a result of the coup. He said that before the coup the divisions were political (and party mechanisms existed to work through them); but now the divisions were more acute, between the rich and poor, increasing the chances of demonstrations and violence. The de facto authorities were perceiving themselves as the bulwark against Chavismo moving North. Venezuela and others in the region were stoking the other side. HONDURAN PERMREP PRESENTS DRAFT OAS TEXT ON HONDURAN ELECTIONS -------------- -------------- ¶5. (C) On August 29, Reina passed to Ambassador Wolff a copy of a draft resolution that Honduras hopes to promote at the OAS during Zelaya's visit. The text (emailed to WHA, WHA/CEN and the Honduras Task Force) calls on the OAS to declare it will not recognize the upcoming electoral process and results if Zelaya were not re-instated beforehand. COMMENT AND ACTION REQUEST -------------- ¶6. (C) USUN requests that the Department convey any initial reactions to Reina's proposal for the U.S. to sponsor Zelaya's trip to the UNGA. Another way to signal legitimacy and support to Zelaya during the UNGA, if that was deemed useful, may be to host him at a lunch or meeting and invite a cross-section of friendly governments from Latin America and Europe. Any Department views along these lines that USUN could pass on to Reina would be welcome. RICE