US embassy cable - 04TEGUCIGALPA642

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEGUCIGALPA 000642 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR PM, WHA/CEN, AND WHA/PPC 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/16/2014 
TAGS: MOPS, MARR, PREL, PGOV, ASEC, IZ, HO 
SUBJECT: HONDURAS REMAINS COMMITTED TO IRAQ DEPLOYMENT BUT 
UNLIKELY TO EXTEND PRESENCE PAST JULY 
 
REF: A. TEGUCIGALPA 234 
     B. USDAO TEGUCIGALPA IIR 101921Z 04 
     C. 03 TEGUCIGALPA 2249 
     D. 03 TEGUCIGALPA 1243 ( ALL NOTAL) 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Larry L, Palmer; 
Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (U) SUMMARY:  Reports in the U.S. and international press 
which suggest that the Government of Honduras (GOH) now plans 
to withdraw its troops from Iraq this summer are misleading 
and contradict local Honduran media coverage of the issue. 
On March 16, President Ricardo Maduro held a press conference 
in which he reiterated support for the U.S. war against 
terrorism; made clear that the act of terrorism in Madrid 
last week would not change Honduran policy; and underscored 
that Honduran troops would fulfill their commitment in Iraq. 
Maduro did, however, announce that he did not intend to seek 
an extension of the Honduran troop deployment, which is due 
to end in July.  He held out the possibility that this 
decision could change based on how the situation in Iraq 
develops.  Maduro's declaration echoed comments made by the 
Foreign and Defense Ministers on March 15.  Those earlier 
comments were inaccurately reported to indicate that Honduras 
had decided to join Spain in withdrawing troops.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (U) On March 16, President Ricardo Maduro held a press 
conference in which he reiterated support for the U.S. war 
against terrorism; made clear that the act of terrorism in 
Madrid last week would not change Honduran policy; and 
underscored that Honduran troops would fulfill their 
commitment in Iraq.  Maduro did, however, announce that he 
did not intend to seek an extension of the Honduran troop 
deployment past the current end date of July.  He held out 
the possibility that this decision could change based on how 
the situation in Iraq develops.  Maduro added that Honduras' 
extension decision was not based on whether or not there was 
a UN request but, as they see it, rather the conclusion of 
the first phase of coalition operations in June which had 
been authorized by the National Congress for the troops' 
deployment.  He added that his government would have to 
reevaluate this decision at that time.  Maduro's declaration 
echoed comments made by the Foreign and Defense Ministers on 
March 15, in which they made clear that Honduran troops would 
fulfill their commitment in Iraq. 
 
3. (U) Reports in the U.S. and international press which 
suggest that the Government of Honduras (GOH) now plans to 
withdraw its troops from Iraq this summer are misleading and 
contradict local Honduran media coverage of the issue. 
Three of the four major dailies all ran front page headlines 
highlighting that Honduran troops would continue in their 
role in Iraq.  These local reports were based on the same 
statements attributed to the Foreign and Defense Ministers 
and reported in other wire service reports. 
 
4. (U) Foreign Minister Rosa Bautista actually publicly 
confirmed March 15 that Honduras would honor its commitment 
to Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) by completing its one-year 
commitment in Iraq.  He said that the Honduran forces would 
be maintained in Iraq.  He did not comment on the GOH's plans 
beyond this one-year commitment, but accurately noted that 
the National Congress would have to approve an extension of 
the deployment.  In separate public comments. Minister of 
Defense Federico Breve stressed in response to a question 
from a journalist that "independently of any decision by 
Spain, the current Honduran deployment would end this summer 
as previously planned." 
 
5. (C) COMMENT: As previously reported (refs A-D), according 
to high level Honduran sources (both political and military), 
the GOH was open to the possibility of continuing the 
deployment after this summer.  However, Post believes that 
the GOH would prefer to end its deployment to Iraq this 
summer, marking the end of its one year commitment.  The cost 
of the deployment has been an ongoing concern (with local 
reporting and leftists critics highlighting the $800,000 
annual cost to the stretched national budget.)  Still, Maduro 
made clear he would not allow the recent terrorist attacks in 
Madrid to deter his government's policy.  Nonetheless, the 
reality is that Spain's announcement that it would withdraw 
its troops from Iraq, unless the United Nations assumes 
operational control of the deployment, further complicate 
matters politically for the Maduro government.  As noted in 
ref A, Honduran popular support for the deployment remains 
very low.  Maduro's party would prefer to end its Iraq 
deployment and reduce its political exposure, which would be 
high if Honduran troops were to suffer casualties.  While the 
deployment is unpopular, as long as Honduras continues to 
suffer no casualties and is not targeted by terrorist 
activity, the GOH, given the right incentives, might be 
willing to seek, and even be granted by the National 
Congress, an extension of the Iraqi deployment.  END COMMENT 
 
6. (U) Minimize considered. 
PALMER