US embassy cable - 05TEGUCIGALPA26

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEGUCIGALPA 000026 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR S/CT, L, IO, EB, INL, AND NP 
STATE FOR WHA, WHA/USOAS, AND WHA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER, PREL, KTIA, PARM, EAIR, EWWT, KCRM, ASEC, HO 
SUBJECT: HONDURAS APPROVED FOUR OUTSTANDING 
COUNTERTERRORISM CONVENTIONS/PROTOCOLS IN 2004; DECREES FOR 
TWO PENDING SIGNATURE AND PUBLICATION IN FEDERAL REGISTER 
 
REF: A. STATE 269653 
 
     B. 03 TEGUCIGALPA 2656 
     C. OLSEN/MAKENS E-MAIL 02/03/03 (NOTAL) 
     D. 02 TEGUCIGALPA 3318 
 
1. Summary: During 2004, the GOH ratified two outstanding OAS 
counterterrorism (CT) conventions and achieved congressional 
approval of the last two outstanding international 
conventions/protocols.  The GOH is now a party to 10 
international and two regional CT conventions and will soon 
be a party to the last two international 
conventions/protocols.  Persistent efforts by EmbOffs and 
visiting USG officials urging GOH officials to sign/ratify 
all outstanding CT conventions have paid off.  End Summary. 
 
2. While a staunch ally in the War on Terrorism, Honduras had 
been slow to sign and ratify outstanding counterterrorism 
(CT) conventions.  In late December 2002, the GOH completed 
all necessary domestic steps to become party to two 
outstanding CT conventions (ref C).  In late October/early 
November 2003, the GOH completed all necessary domestic steps 
to become party to three additional CT conventions (ref B). 
Since then EmbOffs, and visiting USG officials, have 
continuously raised the CT conventions with President Ricardo 
Maduro, multiple senior MFA officials, Minister of the 
Presidency Luis Cosenza, and President of Congress Porfirio 
"Pepe" Lobo.  PolOffs have met and spoken repeatedly with 
officials in the MFA's Directorate General for Treaties and 
legal advisors to Cosenza. 
 
GOH Ratified Two OAS CT Conventions in 2004 
------------------------------------------- 
 
3. The following two Organization of American States (OAS) CT 
conventions were approved by Congress in December 
2003/January 2004, but it took until February and July 
respectively for the decrees to be finalized, signed by 
President Maduro, and published in La Gaceta (the Honduran 
equivalent of the Federal Register): 
-- 1971 OAS Convention to Prevent and Punish the Acts of 
Terrorism Taking the Form of Crimes Against Persons and 
Related Extortion that are of International Significance 
(signed by the GOH February 2, 1971), and 
-- 2002 OAS Convention to Prevent and Punish Acts of 
Terrorism (signed by the GOH June 3, 2002). 
 
Near Ratification of IMO CT Convention and Protocol 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
4. The following International Maritime Organization (IMO) CT 
convention and protocol were approved by Congress in February 
2004, but it took until August for the decrees to be 
completed by the Executive Branch and until late December for 
the decrees to be approved by Congress.  The decrees are 
currently pending signature by congressional leadership and 
then will be forwarded for signature by President Maduro and 
publication in La Gaceta.  The convention and protocol are: 
-- 1988 Convention for the Suppression on Unlawful Acts 
Against the Safety of Maritime Navigation (SUA Convention), 
and 
-- 1988 Protocol for the Suppression on Unlawful Acts Against 
the Safety of Fixed Platforms Located on the Continental 
Shelf (SUA Protocol). 
 
Honduras Soon to be Party to All CT Conventions/Protocols 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
5. The GOH was already a party to the following 10 
international counterterrorism conventions: 
-- 1963 Tokyo Convention on Offenses and Certain Other Acts 
Committed Onboard Aircraft 
-- 1970 Hague Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful 
Seizure of Aircraft 
-- 1971 Montreal Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful 
Acts Against the Safety of Civil Aviation 
-- 1973 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes 
Against Internationally Protected Persons 
-- 1979 Convention Against the Taking of Hostages 
-- 1980 Convention on the Physical Protection on Nuclear 
Materials 
-- 1988 Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts of 
Violence at Airports Serving International Civil Aviation 
-- 1991 Convention on the Marking of Plastic Explosives for 
the Purpose of Detection 
-- 1997 Convention for the Suppression on Terrorist Bombings, 
and 
-- 1999 Convention on the Suppression of Financing of 
Terrorism. 
 
6. With the addition of the two aforementioned OAS CT 
conventions and the upcoming addition of the IMO convention 
and protocol, the GOH will become party to all 12 
international CT conventions and two regional CT conventions. 
 Post will continue to urge the GOH to rapidly sign and 
publish the last two decrees to bring this process to a close. 
Palmer