US embassy cable - 04TEGUCIGALPA741

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEGUCIGALPA 000741 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA, WHA/CCA, WHA/CEN, AND WHA/PPC 
STATE FOR DRL, DRL/MLA, IO, AND INR/AN/IAA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/30/2014 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, PINR, KDEM, CU, HO, CHR-1 
SUBJECT: HONDURAN FM TELLS AMBASSADOR GOH WILL ANNOUNCE 
MARCH 31 ITS DECISION TO TABLE UNCHR CUBA RESOLUTION 
 
REF: A. TRIVELLI/PIERCE E-MAILS 03/30 
 
     B. TEGUCIGALPA 738 
     C. GENEVA 885 
     D. ZUNIGA/SIBILLA/KELLY/PIERCE E-MAIL 3/26 
     E. STATE 68031 
     F. STATE 65652 
     G. STATE 62815 
     H. TEGUCIGALPA 595 AND PREVIOUS 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Larry Palmer; 
Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) Ambassador spoke March 30 with Honduran Foreign 
Minister Leonidas Rosa Bautista to seek confirmation of 
Honduran Ambassador Mario Canahuati's statement to WHA Acting 
DAS Trivelli that the GOH would publicly announce its 
decision to table a UN Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) 
resolution on Cuba on March 31 (ref A).  The FM assured the 
Ambassador that on March 31 the MFA would announce its 
decision to table a resolution and issue instructions for its 
Geneva Mission, led by PermRep Benjamin Zapata, to seek 
co-sponsors. 
 
Only Criticism is from Cubans 
----------------------------- 
 
2. (C) The UNCHR Cuba resolution is not (at the moment) a 
political issue in Honduras.  There have been no statements 
by the opposition Liberal Party on this issue.  In fact, 
press coverage of this issue has been heaviest in the 
Nationalist-leaning newspaper "El Heraldo."  The Cuban 
Ambassador to Honduras, Alberto Polanco Gonzalez, has been 
vocal in his criticism, and Post believes it is likely that 
the Popular Block will oppose the GOH's decision once it is 
announced. 
PALMER