US embassy cable - 04TEGUCIGALPA2097

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEGUCIGALPA 002097 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INL/RM, INL/LP, G/TIP, AND WHA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCRM, PHUM, KWMN, SMIG, AFIN, HO 
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR APPROVAL TO SIGN LOA AMMENDMENT TEXT 
ON TIP AND PROVIDE ADVICE OF ALLOTMENT 
 
 
1. Post requests INL approval of the following LOA 
Amendment text on trafficking in persons (TIP).  Post 
tentatively would like to sign this LOA with the 
Government of Honduras (GOH) on September 24, 2004. 
Please provide approval of text, advice of allotment, and 
authorization to sign. 
 
2.  Begin proposed text of LOA Amendment. 
 
MODIFICATION/AMENDMENT TO THE LETTER OF AGREEMENT ON 
NARCOTICS CONTROL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OF June 17, 2003 
BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
AND THE GOVERNMENT OF HONDURAS 
 
I.  GENERAL 
 
The Government of the United States of America (USG), 
represented by Ambassador Larry Palmer, and the Government 
of Honduras, represented by Minister of Public Security, 
Oscar Arturo Alvarez, (each individually, a "Party." Or 
collectively, the Parties") jointly agree to modify and 
amend the letter of agreement between the USG and the 
Government of Honduras, signed June 17, 2003 (the 
"Agreement") in the following respect: 
 
To provide additional funds in the amount specified in the 
cover sheet ($320,000) to establish and support with 
technical assistance, training, equipment and supplies 
projects designed to develop, enhance and improve law 
enforcement and other projects in the efforts against 
trafficking in persons (TIP). 
 
The full project description and project goals are 
described in Sections II and III below.  All other 
obligations, terms, and conditions contained in the letter 
of agreement dated June 17, 2003 shall remain applicable 
and in full force and effect. 
 
II.  PROJECT DESCRIPTION 
 
This project is designed to facilitate strengthened 
Honduran trafficking in persons laws, institutionalization 
of a specific police investigative unit working in 
cooperation with prosecutors and judges focused on TIP and 
TIP related crimes, and a public awareness campaign that 
will help bring the justice sector and NGO community 
closer together in the fight against trafficking in 
persons.  Toward that goal, the USG and the Government of 
Honduras will take actions and commit resources on an 
annual basis as authorized by their respective legislative 
processes to support this effort. 
 
Actions to be taken include retaining the services of 
expert consultants and instructors to travel to Honduras 
to train and provide technical assistance in the area of 
TIP cases, facilitating regional TIP conference for 
investigators, purchase of equipment and supplies needed 
to improve the effectiveness of the TIP investigative unit 
and TIP prosecutors, as well as community projects to 
better inform local communities of the dangers of these 
types of crime. 
 
The planned life of this project is two years, following 
which time the Ministry of Public Security will have 
developed a strong working partnership with the Public 
Ministry and other investigative elements of the 
Government of Honduras and trafficking in persons crimes 
will be routinely presented for prosecution in accordance 
with the Criminal Procedure Code, and the evidence 
presented by the Ministry of Public Security and Public 
Ministry will be of a heightened standard to effectively 
prosecute TIP criminal activity. 
 
Provision of USG grant funding beyond the current fiscal 
year is conditioned upon satisfactory progress toward 
project goals and the availability of funds authorized and 
appropriated on a year-to-year basis by the U.S. Congress 
and approved by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau for 
International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL). 
 
III.  Project Goal and Achievement Verification 
 
The specifics goals of this project are: (1) establishment 
and institutionalization of the Ministry of Public 
Security TIP investigative unit; (2) provision of 
technical assistance and training to the Ministry of 
Public Security and the Public Ministry in TIP related 
cases according to the most recent anti-TIP laws of 
Honduras; (3) provision of a well defined public awareness 
campaign that will reach the population that is most 
vulnerable to TIP crimes. 
 
Progress toward achievement of the project goal will be 
measured in terms of qualitative and quantitative 
indicators, including: (1) implementation and 
institutionalization of the Ministry of Public Security 
TIP investigative unit evidenced by the inclusion of this 
unit in the Honduran FY 2005 budget indicating full 
support for the unit; (2) based on previous years data, a 
15 percent increase in TIP and TIP-related cases which are 
investigated and brought to prosecution jointly in a task 
force environment by the Ministry of Public Security 
specialized units, the Public Ministry and other GOH Law 
enforcement agencies; and (3) implementation of a public 
information campaign which focuses on the providing a 
defined public awareness of the dangers of TIP crimes in 
the form of a nationwide media campaign which will be 
accessible to persons most susceptible to TIP related 
crimes. 
 
Done in duplicate at Tegucigalpa, Honduras, this 
28th day of September of 2004, in English and Spanish 
languages, both texts being equally authentic. 
 
For the Government of the     For the Government of 
United States of America      Honduras 
 
_________________________     ________________________ 
Ambassador Larry Palmer       Minister Oscar A. Alvarez 
 
 
End text. 
 
Palmer