VZCZCXYZ0012
OO RUEHWEB
DE RUEHTG #0472 0752246
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 162246Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY TEGUCIGALPA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5252
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBE/AMEMBASSY BELMOPAN 0030
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 1109
RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 7355
UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 000472
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KDEM PREL NU HO
SUBJECT: HONDURAS DEMARCHED ON ENGAGING NICARAGUA
REF: STATE 029660
1. (SBU) Acting Polcouns delivered demarche to Foreign Vice
Minister Enrique Reina and Ambassador Eduardo Rosales, the
Foreign Ministry's Director of Exterior Affairs, on March 15,
2007 (reftel) on engaging Nicaragua. Polcouns made it clear
that the demarche was not/not in relation to the maritime
discussions between Honduras and Nicaragua currently at the
Hague.
2. (SBU) The Vice Minister replied that Honduras shares the
same expectations in its relationship with Honduras as the
points made by Acting Polcouns from the demarche. He
mentioned that the Zelaya administration is engaging
constructively with Honduras as the two countries face
similar problems. He said that Daniel Ortega visited
Honduras recently, as well as other Central American
countries, and expects that Nicaragua will continue to
respect the private sector and work together towards
strengthening Central American integration. The Vice
Minister said that any kind of instability, such as
narcotrafficking, affects all of Central America.
3. (SBU) The Vice Minister also informed Acting Polcouns
that Honduras proposed to Nicaragua a joint commission, which
was welcomed by Nicaragua, to implement the decision at the
Hague about the maritime dispute between the two countries.
The commission will assist in carrying out any sanctions and
actions required by the decision of the Hague, similar to
what Honduras and El Salvador did in 1992. Vice Minister
Reina indicated that there was a misunderstanding in the
public about the purpose of the commission. (NOTE: Some in
the press and Congress believed that it was a way to
circumvent the Hague process. END NOTE.) The Vice Minister
assured Acting Polcouns that in no way was this commission
meant to get around the Hague process, and he did not seem
overly worried about this misperception.
FORD