US embassy cable - 04TEGUCIGALPA782

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEGUCIGALPA 000782 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/RPM, PM/RSAT AND PMAT 
STATE FOR WHA/PPC AND WHA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/02/2014 
TAGS: MARR, PREL, IZ, HO 
SUBJECT: HONDURAN RESPONSE TO MND-CS FORCE GENERATION 
CONFERENCE: POSSIBLY OPEN TO IRAQ EXTENSION 
 
REF: A. STATE 68205 
     B. TEGUCIGALPA 642 
 
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Roger Pierce; 
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) The Government of Honduras (GOH) has indicated 
publicly and privately that at this moment it does not/not 
plan to extend its troop contribution to Operation Iraqi 
Freedom (OIF) beyond its initial one-year commitment which is 
due to end in July.  The GOH, however, has never entirely 
ruled out continued participation in OIF (ref B).  Honduran 
CENTCOM liaison LT COL Betancourth told PolMilOff April 2 
that both Honduran Minister of Defense Federico Breve and 
Chief of the Joint Staff General Jose Isaias Barahona have 
hinted that Honduras would consider prolonging its commitment 
to OIF if the U.S. were to formally request Honduras' 
continued participation.  These same sentiments have been 
expressed by others within the Honduran Military.  (Note: 
President Maduro has stated that he in under increasing 
political pressure regarding Honduras' commitment to OIF and 
the deployment remains very unpopular among the general 
population.  However, sources within the Honduran military 
have indicated that Maduro's public comments were intended 
for a domestic political audience nervous about the prospect 
of a terrorist attack in Honduras following the terrorist 
attack in Madrid and should be viewed within that context. 
End Note) 
 
2. (C)  For contingency planning purposes, Honduras will send 
COL Francisco Guevera and LT COL Betancourth to Poland's 
April 6-8 force generation conference. 
 
3. (U) Note:  Post notes that because of official Holy Week 
holidays, April 6-12, any non-emergency contact with MOD 
Breve or CJCS Barahona will be very difficult.  End Note. 
 
4. (U) Minimize considered. 
PALMER