US embassy cable - 03TEGUCIGALPA2113

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 002113 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR WHA/PD (OHILTON), WHA/CEN (TKELLY), AND IIP/G/WHA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KPAO, PREL, HO 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTIONS ON ROGER NORIEGA OP-ED, SEPTEMBER 3, 
2003 
 
 
1. Op-ed by Mario Rietti in San Pedro Sula-based liberal daily 
"Tiempo" (owned by former and future Liberal Party presidential 
candidate Jaime Rosenthal) on 9/1 and 9/2 entitled "Stronger 
Partnerships."  "Honduras is and has always been the best partner 
of the U.S. in the Western Hemisphere, and we as Hondurans share 
the common values of freedom and democracy that have stimulated 
sustainable development in the great Northern country." 
 
"During his campaign for the presidency, Ricardo Maduro outlined 
seven key points of his governmental plan to promote sustainable 
development in Honduras.  Unfortunately, once elected, Maduro has 
forgotten some of the promises he made to foster development in 
Honduras, such as environmental sustainability, equitable 
economic growth, sustainable human development and other policies 
to promote equal opportunities for everyone, good governance, 
economic freedom, and investment in people." 
 
"To create and maintain a sustainable means of living, eradicate 
poverty and strengthen local communities, we must promote civic 
participation in sustainable development, creating open, 
accessible and effective mechanisms to build a democracy with 
equal opportunities for all." 
 
"Now, as Roger Noriega and others like our Cardinal Oscar Andres 
Rodriguez say, Honduras needs to transform its strategies and 
economic and political institutions, building stronger and 
sustainable partnerships with the U.S., Europe, Japan and other 
allies like the Republic of China.  Only then will we achieve 
long-term sustainable human development that will permit us to 
generate economic growth through free trade and adequate fiscal 
policies with good governance, transparency and accountability." 
 
"We all, liberals and nationalists, share the same ideals of 
participative democracy and economic and political freedom that 
must always go together to build sustainable partnerships that 
can let us negotiate with the International Monetary Fund and 
combat poverty, which is still our main foe in regard to human 
rights in a poor and severely indebted country such as Honduras." 
 
Palmer