US embassy cable - 03TEGUCIGALPA2929

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 002929 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR WHA/PDA (OHILTON), IIP/G/WHA, IIP/T/ES, NEA/NGA, WHA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, PREL, KPAO, MOPS, PGOV, IZ, HO 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON IRAQ, DECEMBER 15, 2003 
 
 
1. Editorial in Tegucigalpa-based liberal daily "La Tribuna" 
on 12/13 entitled "Reward".  "The distribution of the 
lucrative Iraq reconstruction contracts, as were decided by 
Washington, to be allocated only to those countries that 
sent soldiers to fight Saddam Hussein has reopened the 
wounds caused by the war.  Moreover, this decision came at a 
time when a U.S. emissary was sent to Europe to obtain a 
reduction of the Iraqi debt." 
 
"The decision to give the large booty of 18 billion dollars 
in contracts was justified by President Bush by saying that 
"the war was mostly financed by the money of the U.S. 
contributors and the sacrifice of the coalition soldiers and 
for that reason they deserve priority"." 
 
"The United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, asked 
Washington to reverse its decision about the contracts. 
Nevertheless, President Bush has been emphatic, repeating 
that, "the costs in dollars reflect the fact that the 
American soldiers and other soldiers risked their lives in 
Iraq"." 
 
"More than 60 countries will be eligible to compete for the 
contracts. and although it was not specifically mentioned by 
the Pentagon, we suppose that Honduras is also eligible." 
 
"The old saying "work for what you want" says it well.  This 
is our opportunity.  If we couldn't send any unemployed 
Hondurans to work in Iraq, now whoever wants to participate 
in the bidding process for Iraqi reconstruction contracts 
has to wait in line just as those Hondurans did in the hopes 
of going to Iraq for work." 
 
Palmer