US embassy cable - 04TEGUCIGALPA2636

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEGUCIGALPA 002636 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INL/LP AND L/LEI 
STATE FOR WHA/PPC AND WHA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/23/2014 
TAGS: SNAR, MOPS, EAIR, PREL, HO 
SUBJECT: CNIES INFORMATION SHARING AGREEMENT UPDATE: 
HONDURAS TRYING TO MEET DECEMBER 1 DEADLINE 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 242242 
     B. TEGUCIGALPA 2418 
     C. SECSTATE 209663 
 
Classified By: Political Counselor Francisco Palmieri; 
reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 
 
1. (SBU) Post remains optimistic that the Government of 
Honduras (GOH) will respond positively by the December 1 
deadline for completing a CNIES information sharing agreement 
via an exchange of diplomatic notes with the U.S. (ref B). 
Post's optimism is based on informal feedback from Minister 
of Defense Federico Breve and Minister of Foreign Affairs 
Leonidas Rosa Bautista; however, during a November 12 
follow-up meeting between PolCouns and MFA Director General 
for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Mario Fortin, Fortin informed 
PolCouns that since the proposed agreement deals with 
counternarcotics efforts, it must first be approved by 
Honduras' National Counternarcotics Council ("Consejo 
Nacional Contra Narcotrafico" or CNCN). 
 
2. (C) The CNCN, Honduras' counternarcotics oversight body, 
is headed by Vice President Armida de Lopez Contreras, wife 
of former FM Carlos Lopez Contreras.  Recently she delayed 
for more that six months the signing of our FY 2004 
counternarcotics LOA when she insisted on substantive changes 
to INL's standard provisions, such as eliminating the human 
rights and narcotics vetting language.  This CNCN clearance 
could delay the process. 
 
3. (SBU) DG Fortin indicated to PolOff that getting CNCN 
approval would not be a significant obstacle to final GOH 
approval.  Post still believes the GOH will respond in a 
positive manner and will continue to pressure senior MOD and 
MFA officials to move quickly.  In fact, on November 22, DG 
Fortin contacted PolOff requesting a floppy disk with the 
CNIES required language so that the MFA could expedite the 
clearance process for a GOH diplomatic note.  Post believes 
the GOH will meet the December 1 deadline.  However, we 
believe it prudent to extend that deadline to December 15 to 
allow the MFA bureaucracy time to produce the required 
exchange of diplomatic notes. 
Palmer