US embassy cable - 03TEGUCIGALPA2866

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEGUCIGALPA 002866 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR DRL, DRL/PHD, DRL/MLA, DRL/CRA, AND IO 
STATE FOR WHA, WHA/PPC, WHA/USOAS, WHA/CCA, AND WHA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/08/2013 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, CU, HO, UNGA 
SUBJECT: DRL PDAS KOZAK MEETS WITH HONDURAN OFFICIALS TO 
DISCUSS COORDINATION ON UNCHR RESOLUTIONS; GOH SUPPORTIVE 
 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, a.i., Roger Pierce; 
Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) Summary:  DRL PDAS Kozak, DRL/MLA Deputy Director 
Sicade, and EmbOffs met November 19-20 with senior GOH 
officials, including Foreign Minister Leonidas Rosa Bautista, 
to discuss U.S. cooperation with Latin American countries on 
human rights resolutions at the United Nations Commission on 
Human Rights (UNCHR).  GOH officials said they would be happy 
to work with the USG on UNCHR resolutions, including the Cuba 
resolution.  The GOH has been a steadfast ally at the UN on 
recent controversial resolutions, including the Iran human 
rights resolution and Middle East resolutions, and has been a 
co-sponsor of the UNCHR Cuba resolution in the past.  Post is 
confident that the GOH will do what it can to support the USG 
in this important initiative.  End Summary. 
 
Meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs 
---------------------------------------- 
 
2. (C) Ambassador, DRL PDAS Kozak, DRL/MLA Deputy Director 
Sicade, and PolOff met November 19 with Honduran Foreign 
Minister Leonidas Rosa Bautista, Vice Minister Anibal 
Quinonez, and MFA Senior Advisor Ambassador Policarpo 
Callejas to discuss U.S. cooperation with Latin American 
countries on human rights resolutions at the United Nations 
Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR).  Kozak noted that they 
were traveling to Latin American countries that were members 
of the UNCHR, first in Central America and then in South 
America, to seek closer cooperation.  The effort was modeled 
on a similar effort undertaken recently with the European 
Union (EU), which had been successful. 
 
3. (C) Tracing recent U.S. experience with the UNCHR, from 
losing a seat on the commission, to gaining a seat back, to 
present day, Kozak underlined that the USG was seeking to 
work with other democratic countries instead of fighting over 
language in specific resolutions, noting the example of 
arguments with the EU over language on the death penalty in 
the 2002 Iran resolution.  By the time a compromise had been 
reached there was no time to lobby for the resolution's 
passage, and it was defeated.  Kozak said the U.S. sought to 
encourage democracies to: (a) run for the UNCHR, and (b) not 
trade votes with dictatorships on resolutions. 
 
4. (C) The FM thanked Kozak for the visit to Honduras, and 
noted that U.S.-Honduran relations were excellent, 
highlighted by the recent visit of the Secretary and WHA A/S 
Noriega to Tegucigalpa.  Noting the importance of Central 
America working together as a region, the FM said common 
Central American positions on UN issues, such as UNCHR 
resolutions, was a goal.  He pledged to work with the U.S. on 
revitalizing the UNCHR.  Rosa Bautista then highlighted 
recent steps Honduras had taken on human rights problems, and 
said that a lack of resources often left developing countries 
open to criticism for human rights problems by omission. 
Ambassador Callejas, noting his experience on the 
Inter-American Court of Human Rights, discussed first, 
second, and third generation human rights and problems with 
Cuba.  Kozak noted that the U.S. supported second generation 
human rights, but saw them as of a different character than 
first generation human rights.  Governments can show respect 
for civil and political rights simply by not interfering in 
their exercise; economic, social, and cultural rights reflect 
aspirations we all share, but the degree to which they can be 
realized depends on policy choices each sovereign state 
makes.  He noted that this meant the wording of individual 
resolutions was key. 
 
5. (C) Vice Minister Quinonez noted that it would be 
difficult to get other democracies to join the UNCHR to take 
the place of dictatorships.  Kozak noted that one-third of 
the commission was bad, with opportunities for majorities to 
be built of the following countries:  the U.S., the EU, 
Eastern Europe, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC) 
countries (minus Cuba), allies in the Pacific, and select 
African or Asian countries. 
 
6. (C) Kozak noted the importance of the Cuba resolution, and 
the GOH's co-sponsorship of the resolution in the past.  He 
floated the idea of creating a group of representative 
countries from various regions of the world to draft and 
co-sponsor a Cuba resolution.  Kozak noted that the text of 
the last Cuba resolution was weak.  He said that while the 
issue of the elements of an effective policy toward Cuba may 
be the subject of debate, there was no debate over the 
importance of human rights in Cuba. 
 
7. (C) Rosa Bautista mentioned several possible avenues for 
U.S. cooperation with Central America on UNCHR resolutions, 
including the Central American Integration System (SICA - the 
seven Central American countries plus the Dominican 
Republic), or the 13 Central America and Caribbean countries 
(minus Cuba).  He noted that the Central American Free Trade 
Agreement (CAFTA) should increase cooperation among countries 
in the region.  Kozak noted the usefulness of a Central 
American technical representative to work with DRL/MLA on 
UNCHR resolutions.  Rosa Bautista said that in the meantime 
the USG could communicate directly with him, VM Quinonez, and 
AMB Callejas on UNCHR resolutions. 
8.  (C) DCM, DRL PDAS Kozak, DRL/MLA Deputy Director Sicade, 
and PolOff met later that same day with Minister of 
Government and Justice Jorge Ramon Hernandez Alcerro, Vice 
Minister of Justice Carlos Pineda Pinel, and Minister of 
Public Security Oscar Alvarez to discuss the same issue and 
other human rights issues (septels). 
 
Meeting With Minister of the Presidency 
--------------------------------------- 
 
9.  (C) DCM, DRL PDAS Kozak, DRL/MLA Deputy Director Sicade, 
and PolOff met November 20 with Minister of the Presidency 
Luis Cosenza and Minister of Strategic Affairs and 
Communications Ramon Medina Luna to discuss UNCHR 
cooperation.  Kozak gave a similar outline on the reasons for 
consultations with Honduras and other Latin American 
democracies on the UNCHR.  He clarified that although Cuba, 
like other serious human rights violators, always wants to be 
on the UNCHR to try to quash critical resolutions, Cuba is 
only on the commission because it is nominated and elected by 
GRULAC.  Kozak noted that Cuba has never abided by any UNCHR 
resolutions, and that Cuba's treatment of dissidents has 
worsened recently.  He floated the idea raised in the MFA 
meeting of creating a group of representative countries from 
various regions of the world to draft and co-sponsor a Cuba 
resolution. 
 
10. (C) Kozak said that the U.S. could agree to disagree with 
democratic countries on certain issues, but that it was much 
better to do so in advance of any votes on UNCHR resolutions. 
 The USG was seeking to establish an informal consultative 
mechanism on UNCHR resolutions by early 2004. 
 
11. (C) Cosenza and Medina Luna both said they thought the 
U.S. plan sounded like a good idea and a worthwhile 
initiative.  Cosenza said that the GOH would be pleased to 
work with the USG on improving human rights throughout the 
world. 
 
GOH Should be a Good Partner with USG on UNCHR Resolutions 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
12. (C) Comment:  Honduras is likely to be a good partner for 
the USG on UNCHR resolutions and the goal of improving the 
commission itself.  The GOH has been a steadfast ally at the 
UN on recent controversial resolutions, including the Iran 
human rights resolution and Middle East resolutions, and has 
been a co-sponsor of the UNCHR Cuba resolution in the past. 
The MFA's limited depth may hamper its ability to work with 
the USG on a technical level on drafting and seeking 
sponsorship of resolutions, but Post is confident that the 
GOH will do what it can to support the USG in this important 
initiative.  End Comment. 
 
13. (U) This cable has been cleared by DRL PDAS Kozak. 
Pierce