US embassy cable - 04TEGUCIGALPA752

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEGUCIGALPA 000752 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR WHA/AS NORIEGA, WHA/DAS FISK, WHA/CEN WAGNER, WHA/PPC 
ALAIN NORMAN FROM DCM ROGER PIERCE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2014 
TAGS: PREL, ECON, KCRM, SNAR, HO 
SUBJECT: EMBASSY TEGUCIGALPA'S 90-DAY PLAN: FINAL STATUS 
 
REF: A. A) 03 STATE 34946 
     B. B) TEGUCIGALPA 00067 
     C. C) EMAIL LAURANCE/KELLY/NORMAN DATED 3/16/04 
 
Classified By: ROGER D. PIERCE, DCM, FOR REASON 1.5 (D) 
 
 1.  (U)  Please find requested status for Embassy 
Tegucigalpa's 90-day plan for the first quarter of 2004 (ref 
B) below. 
 
2.  (SBU)  Ensure selection of qualified Attorney General to 
support rule of law 
 
(C)  STEPS TAKEN:   Despite a coordinated Mission public 
diplomacy campaign, which included USAID funded public 
service announcement and a major policy speech by the 
Ambassador, and an intense diplomatic lobbying effort, which 
included private meetings with the President, Cabinet 
members, the President of Congress, members of Congress, the 
President of the Supreme Court, key members of the nominating 
selection committee, and other influential opinion leaders, 
including the Mayor of Tegucigalpa, the next Attorney General 
unfortunately does not meet the goal of being a fully 
respectable rule of law agent.  He does meet the legal 
qualifications for the position. 
 
(U)  FUTURE STEPS:  Continue to monitor new AG's performance. 
 Encourage his support for the rule of law and adherence to 
the highest ethical standards in performance of his 
responsibilities. 
 
(U)  STATUS:  A new AG was selected through the legally 
established process. 
 
3. (SBU) Negotiate & sign a Letter of Agreement (LOA) on 
narcotics/law enforcement 
 
(C)  STEPS TAKEN:   DCM met with Honduran Vice President, who 
chairs the Government of Honduras National Council for the 
Fight Against Drug Trafficking (CNCN), and concluded 
negotiations over the LOA's budget line items during third 
week of January.  POL/INL provided updated draft text of LOA 
language and its standard provisions to Vice President during 
last week of January.  Vice President reviewed LOA and did 
not respond with proposed revisions, including changes to INL 
standard provisions, until last week of February.  POL/INL 
and INL Bureau reviewed proposed changes and POL/INL has met 
twice with CNCN officer over these technical corrections. 
INL Bureau's has given final approval for the LOA text.  It 
is still, however, pending the Vice President's approval. 
 
(U)  FUTURE STEPS:  Obtain final approvals and arrange 
signing ceremony. 
 
(U) STATUS:   LOA is in final stage of negotiation and should 
be signed by the end of the month. 
 
4. (SBU)  IMF approval of Poverty Reduction & Growth Facility 
(PRGF) program 
 
(U)  STEPS TAKEN:  Ambassador, DCM, Econ Counselor, Pol 
Counselor, and AID Director  discussed with GOH and key 
members of Congress the importance of fulfillment of prior 
actions needed for IMF Board Approval of Honduras' PRGF 
program. 
 
(U)  FUTURE STEPS:  Continue to monitor.  Encourage strict 
compliance with the agreed economic program. 
 
(U)  STATUS:  Completed.  Honduras did complete all prior 
actions listed in the IMF program and signed the Letter of 
Intent on the program on February 2, 2003 in the presence of 
the IMF's Anoop Singh and his delegation.  The IMF Board 
approved the program on February 18 and the World Bank 
approved it as well on February 26, along with the status 
report on the Poverty Reduction Strategy.  This puts Honduras 
back on track for possible HIPC completion point in February 
of 2005. 
PALMER