US embassy cable - 03TEGUCIGALPA2656

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEGUCIGALPA 002656 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR S/CT, L, IO, EB, INL, AND NP 
STATE FOR WHA, WHA/USOAS, AND WHA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER, PREL, KTIA, AORC, PARM, EAIR, EWWT, KCRM, HO 
SUBJECT: HONDURAS RATIFIES THREE COUNTERTERRORISM 
CONVENTIONS; TWO IMO AND TWO OAS CT CONVENTIONS REMAINING 
 
 
1. Summary: The GOH has ratified three outstanding 
counterterrorism (CT) conventions (two ICAO and one IAEA). 
The GOH is now a party to 10 international CT conventions. 
Post is pressing hard for the GOH to ratify the two IMO and 
two OAS CT conventions still outstanding.  Persistent efforts 
by EmbOffs to urge GOH officials to sign/ratify all 
outstanding CT conventions are bearing fruit.  End Summary. 
 
2. While a staunch ally in the War on Terrorism, Honduras has 
been slow to sign and ratify outstanding counterterrorism 
(CT) conventions.  In late December 2002, the GOH completed 
all necessary domestic steps to become party to two 
outstanding conventions.  Since then the Ambassador and DCM 
have repeatedly raised the CT conventions with President 
Ricardo Maduro, multiple senior MFA officials, and Minister 
of the Presidency Luis Cosenza.  PolOffs have met and spoken 
repeatedly with officials in the MFA's Directorate General 
for Treaties and Ricardo Montes, legal advisor to Cosenza. 
Assistance from Embassy London, the U.S. Mission to ICAO, the 
U.S. Mission in Vienna, IO/T, NP, WHA/OAS, and WHA/CEN in 
obtaining official Spanish-language translations of the CT 
conventions was also critical.  After months with no 
significant progress, this summer/fall the GOH finally acted 
on three outstanding CT conventions. 
 
GOH Ratifies Three CT Conventions 
--------------------------------- 
 
3. The GOH has now completed all necessary domestic steps to 
becoming a party to the following three counterterrorism 
conventions.  The three were approved by Congress in July, 
but it took until late October/early November for the decrees 
to be signed by President Maduro and published in La Gaceta 
(the Honduran equivalent of the Federal Register).  The CT 
conventions are: 
-- 1980 Convention on the Physical Protection on Nuclear 
Materials 
-- 1988 Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts of 
Violence at Airports Serving International Civil Aviation 
-- 1991 Convention on the Marking of Plastic Explosives for 
the Purpose of Detection (signed by the GOH March 26, 1991). 
 
Honduras Now a Party to 10 CT Conventions 
----------------------------------------- 
 
4. The GOH was already a party to the following seven 
international counterterrorism conventions: 
-- 1963 Tokyo Convention on Offenses and Certain Other Acts 
Committed Onboard Aircraft 
-- 1970 Hague Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful 
Seizure of Aircraft 
-- 1971 Montreal Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful 
Acts Against the Safety of Civil Aviation 
-- 1973 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes 
Against Internationally Protected Persons 
-- 1979 Convention Against the Taking of Hostages 
-- 1997 Convention for the Suppression on Terrorist Bombings, 
and 
-- 1999 Convention on the Suppression of Financing of 
Terrorism Crimes. 
 
5. With the addition of the three aforementioned CT 
conventions, the GOH is now a party to 10 CT conventions. 
Note:  The GOH ratified the 1997 and 1999 UN CT conventions 
in late December 2002.  End Note. 
 
Four to Go: Two IMO and Two OAS 
------------------------------- 
 
6. The GOH is still not a party to the following two 
international maritime CT conventions: 
-- 1988 Convention for the Suppression on Unlawful Acts 
Against the Safety of Maritime Navigation (SUA Convention) 
-- 1988 Protocol for the Suppression on Unlawful Acts Against 
the Safety of Fixed Platforms Located on the Continental 
Shelf (SUA Protocol) 
 
7. Nor is the GOH a party to the following two Organization 
of American States (OAS) CT conventions: 
-- 1971 OAS Convention to Prevent and Punish the Acts of 
Terrorism Taking the Form of Crimes Against Persons and 
Related Extortion that are of International Significance 
(signed by the GOH February 2, 1971) 
-- 2002 OAS Convention to Prevent and Punish Acts of 
Terrorism (signed by the GOH June 3, 2002). 
 
8. According to the MFA and the Presidential Palace, the two 
IMO CT conventions are under review by the GOH.  The 1971 OAS 
CT convention was recently forwarded to Congress for 
approval; the GOH claims it will do the same soon for the 
2002 OAS CT convention. 
 
9. Note:  The GOH also recently ratified the UN Convention on 
Organized Crime.  End Note. 
Palmer