US embassy cable - 04TEGUCIGALPA1385

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 001385 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR WHA/PD; IIP/G/WHA DIPASQUALE; AND IIP/T/ES 
DEPT. FOR EB/TPP DCLUNE AND WHA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KPAO, ETRD, HO, USTR 
SUBJECT: MEDIA STRATEGY FOR MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION 
VISIT, JUNE 17, 2004 
 
 
1. As part of a PAS media strategy for the Millennium 
Challenge Corporation (MCC) team visiting Honduras, PAS 
arranged a press conference for President Ricardo Maduro and 
John Hewko, Vice-President for Country Relations at the MCC, 
to address the Millennium Challenge Account(MCA) importance 
for poverty reduction in Honduras on June 14. 
 
2. The second component of PAS' strategy involved a one-on- 
one 45-minute interview with John Hewko and Renato Alvarez, 
anchor of the morning television talk show "Frente a 
Frente", the highest-rated and most influential talk show on 
the Honduran media.  The interview gave Hewko a chance to 
elaborate on key MCA principles and explain to a large 
audience the five essential points that will enable Honduras 
to access MCA funds. 
 
3. The final component of PAS' strategy entailed a press 
conference, where Hewko explained the basic requirements and 
conditions to enable Honduras to access MCA funds. 
 
4. Hewko said, "The fact that Honduras has been selected as 
one of the first 16 countries eligible for MCA funds proves 
the confidence the U.S. has in Honduras, and we acknowledge 
the efforts the country has made to improve its social and 
economic condition.  To be able to access MCA funds, 
Honduras has to take on the responsibility and commitment to 
put forth its own proposals for development.  In addition, 
these proposals must reflect the needs and opinions of all 
sectors of society, and they need to include rigorous 
mechanisms of transparency and accountability to ensure the 
funds are being utilized properly.  Finally, we must point 
out that there are no guarantees that Honduras will receive 
MCA funds.  The MCC cannot promise it will sign an agreement 
with all 16 countries.  It will analyze the proposals from 
each country based on their own merits." 
 
5.  Media coverage was extensive.  Most radio and television 
stations, and all national newspapers, had positive 
coverage.  The majority of them highlighted the fact that 
there are no guarantees that Honduras will have access to 
MCA funds and the responsibility of the Honduran government 
to present feasible proposals to benefit from the MCA. 
 
Palmer