US embassy cable - 03TEGUCIGALPA1933

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TEGUCIGALPA 001933 
 
SIPDIS 
 
CJCS FOR GENERAL MYERS 
STATE FOR PM, INL, WHA, WHA/CEN, AND WHA/PPC 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/15/2013 
TAGS: OVIP, MARR, MASS, MOPS, PREL, PGOV, SNAR, HO 
SUBJECT: CJCS GENERAL MYERS MEETS WITH HONDURAN MINISTER OF 
DEFENSE AND CJCS TO THANK GOH; DISCUSSES REGIONAL ISSUES 
 
REF: TEGUCIGALPA 1868 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, a.i., Roger D. Pierce; 
Reasons 1.5 (B) and (D). 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY: On August 13, after a meeting with Honduran 
President Ricardo Maduro, CJCS General Myers met separately 
with Minister of Defense Federico Breve, Honduran CJCS 
General Barahona, and other senior military officials to 
discuss issues of bilateral importance and to thank Honduras 
for its strong support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) 
including its troop contribution to that effort, and the 
signing and ratification of an ICC Aricle 98 Agreement. 
Among the particular issues discussed were Iraq, 
narcotrafficking, regional disarmament, and the modernization 
of the Honduran Armed Forces.  The Honduran military is proud 
of its planned role in Iraq, supportive of greater USG-GOH 
cooperation in counternarcotics, and firmly opposed to any 
linkage of Nicaraguan MANPADS and Honduran F-5's.  END SUMMARY 
 
2. (U) CJCS General Myers, accompanied by Mr. Hanley, CPT 
Hunt, COL Ross, LCDR Cheever, and COL Gonzalez, and from the 
Embassy Charge, DATT, MILGP Commander, and PolMilOff 
(notetaker), met August 13 with Honduran Minister of Defense 
Federico Breve, Vice Minister of Defense Perez, CJCS General 
Barahona, Vice CJCS GEN Andino, Inspector General GEN 
Maldonado, Army Commanding General COL Vasquez, Air Force 
Commanding General COL Caceres, and Navy Commanding General 
COL Mejia.  The meeting took place at the Casa Presidencial. 
 
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Breve Highlights Risks in Iraq and Changing Role of Military 
--------------------------------------------- --------------- 
 
3. (C) MOD Breve began the session by outlining the areas 
that the Government of Honduras (GOH) has worked closely with 
the USG over the last couple of months, including providing 
troops to OIF and signing and ratifying an ICC Article 98 
Agreements with the United States.  He again reiterated that 
this came at a political cost to the Maduro Administration as 
well as put Honduras at heightened risk of terrorist attack, 
but that Honduras was prepared to accept these risks in 
support of U.S. policy objectives.  MOD Breve also stated 
that the GOH has considered the ramifications of taking 
casualties in Iraq in support of the war against terror and 
that they were prepared for that eventuality. 
 
4. (C) MOD Breve then outlined for General Myers the dramatic 
changes the Honduran Armed Forces (HOAF) had been through 
over the last few years.  He began with the budget process 
and spending which was now a transparent process compared to 
the past when it was undisclosed.  He mentioned that this 
process has helped the HOAF spend its limited resources more 
wisely.  He also mentioned that having the HOAF under 
civilian leadership has been a positive development both for 
the HOAF and democracy in Honduras. 
 
5.(C) MOD Breve discussed the changing missions and role of 
the HOAF in Honduras.  He stated that respect for human 
rights and democracy was now firmly entrenched in the HOAF 
and that the institution as a whole was rapidly becoming more 
professional.  MOD Breve went on to note that this process 
was very important for the HOAF and its reconciliation with 
the Honduran people.  To cement these institutional changes, 
Breve mentioned that the HOAF would like to establish a 
defense university similar to the National Defense University 
in the United States.  Breve then outlined the new missions 
the HOAF was involved in including: disaster relief, the 
fight against narcotrafficking; fighting crime; helping to 
protect the environment; educational programs; health care; 
and helping to eradicate diseases such as dengue. 
 
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Honduran Military Committed to Counternarcotics Fight 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
6. (C) MOD Breve stated the HOAF was committed to the fight 
against narcotrafficking and recent success demonstrated 
this.  However, Breve indicated that increased information 
sharing and more resources were necessary for success.  He 
noted that Honduras was still looking for more substantial 
support from the USG in this area. 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
General Myers Expresses Gratitude for Honduran Support 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
7. (C) General Myers thanked Breve and the HOAF for its 
support of OIF and noted that Honduras was among the some 40 
other nations that have come together to provide the Iraqi 
people the chance for a better life.  General Myers 
acknowledged that the Honduran deployment of troops in 
support of OIF was a "big deal" and that it was noticed at 
the highest levels of the USG, raising Honduras' profile. 
General Myers reiterated his confidence that the Honduran 
troops would do well in Iraq due to their good training and 
competent leadership.  General Myers stated that all 
democracies face the threat of terrorism and have a stake in 
the current security environment and that the GOH was a solid 
partner in this effort.  General Myers also thanked MOD Breve 
for his continued support of Joint Task Force Bravo.  Note: 
Five hundred fifty-eight U.S. service men and women and eight 
civilian DOD employees are stationed at Honduras' Soto Cano 
Air Base under the auspices of SOUTHCOM as Joint Task Force 
Bravo.  End Note. 
 
8. (C) General Myers congratulated MOD Breve on Honduras' 
effort to create a national defense university, suggesting 
that this type of education helps to bring together "the big 
picture."  General Myers offered USG assistance and directed 
Breve to the Country Team if he wanted to pursue this offer. 
 
9. (C) Charge also congratulated Breve and the HOAF on its 
recent successes in the fight against narcotrafficking, 
stating that the Embassy was pleased with their efforts. 
Charge also indicated that the Embassy was looking for ways 
to better assist the HOAF in their efforts. 
 
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Regional Disarmament and Integration 
------------------------------------ 
 
10. (C) Breve stated that the countries of Central America 
needed to act with a more regional focus rather than 
unilaterally when approaching the many problems the region 
faces, such as narcotrafficking.  Breve noted that this 
process was complicated and slow, but that it needed to be 
done.  Breve also called for greater information sharing on 
the part of the USG. 
 
11. (C) Breve expressed his displeasure with the recent 
meeting in Nicaragua to discuss regional disarmament, feeling 
that the USG was putting pressure on Honduras to give up its 
fleet of F-5's as a tradeoff for Nicaragua eliminating its 
stockpile of Man Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS). 
Breve indicated that he did not have an agenda for the 
meeting or know PM Assistant Secretary of State Bloomfield or 
WHA Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Fisk planned on 
attending the meeting, suggesting he felt somewhat ambushed 
on the issue.  Note:  In fact, Charge had told both Breve and 
Acting Foreign Minister Anibal Quinonez, who also attended 
the meeting, that both A/S Bloomfield and DAS Fisk would be 
present.  End Note. 
 
12. (C) Breve said he understood USG concerns about MANPADS 
but that that was between the U.S. and the Government of 
Nicaragua.  He indicated that Honduras was ready to discuss 
F-5's, but only in the context of regional disarmament, not 
as a precondition for reducing Nicaragua's stockpile of 
MANPADS.  General Myers let MOD Breve know that while in 
Nicaragua, the F-5 issue was never raised.  He said the 
MANPADS threat was an issue of bilateral importance between 
the USG and Nicaragua. 
 
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Cooperation and Assistance Welcomed; F-5's for MANPADS Not 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
13. (C) Comment:  General Myers' meeting with MOD Breve, 
General Barahona, and the top Honduran military brass was a 
well-received outcome of the GOH's strong support for the USG 
in Iraq and on Article 98.  The visit, coming as the last of 
the Honduran troops were departing for Iraq via training in 
Spain, was also a concrete example to the Honduran public of 
the gratitude the U.S. has for Honduran assistance in 
Operation Iraqi Freedom.  The HOAF is sober about the 
situation in Iraq and possible casualties for Honduran 
troops, but is proud of its planned role.  Breve's call for 
more USG assistance for the military for counternarcotics is 
not new, but will continue.  Regional disarmament is a 
somewhat pricklier issue for Breve and the GOH, who are 
strongly opposed to any link between Nicaraguan MANPADS and 
Honduran F-5's, which they see as a non-starter.  End Comment. 
Pierce