US embassy cable - 05TEGUCIGALPA1447

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 001447 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR WHA/PD; IIP/G/WHA DIPASQUALE; AND IIP/T/ES 
DEPT. FOR PM AND EB/TRA 
DEPT. FOR WHA/EPSC, WHA/PPC AND WHA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KPAO, PGOV, MASS, EAID, HO 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON DEBT FORGIVENESS, JULY 11, 2005 
 
 
1. On 07/09 the Tegucigalpa-based moderate daily "El 
Heraldo" carried an editorial entitled "Successful Summit." 
"The shadow of the terrorist attacks in London couldn't dull 
the historical results of the G-8 summit in which the debt 
forgiveness was ratified and $50 million in aid was promised 
to fight poverty in Africa." 
 
"Debt forgiveness or the $50 billion for Africa do not 
represent a solution to extreme poverty but is a hopeful 
sign that the centers of political and economic power have 
realized the necessity to create a certain balance between 
those who have it all and the billions of people who can't 
even satisfy their hunger." 
 
"If the wealthy countries keep their promise to help fight 
poverty in the world and the nations' leaders don't allow 
corruption and demagoguery to deviate resources there is a 
real possibility of creating not only a just world but also 
a safer one." 
 
2. The Tegucigalpa-based liberal daily "La Tribuna" 
published an editorial entitled "The Summit and Terrorism." 
"Once again terrorism breeds terror.  The day after these 
frightening and tragic events, the G-8 announced that it 
looked favorably upon debt relief for Honduras, which had 
been discussed in 2000 when the IMF and the World Bank 
reached the `Decision Point,' classifying Honduras as a 
Highly Indebted Poor Country.  The debt relief efforts, 
which reached the `Point of Culmination' during Maduro's 
administration, are found in the framework of the HIPC 
Initiative (Initiative for the Highly Indebted Poor 
Countries)." 
 
"Returning to the topic of the terrorist attacks against 
London which we vehemently condemn, as do all who wish to 
live in peace and civility repudiate violence.  We close 
with a phrase from the leader of the country that today 
suffers the impact of this cruel violence: `We speak today,' 
said Tony Blair at the closing of the Summit, `under the 
shadow of terrorism, but we are not going to eclipse what we 
came here to achieve, since the objective of terrorism in 
not only to kill and harm the innocent, but also to produce 
desperation and anger in the hearts of people.'" 
 
3. On 7/11 "La Tribuna" published an editorial entitled 
"Breath."  "A day after of the terrorists attacks in London 
the G-8 decided to give a breath of air to poor countries." 
 
"People expect that the resources obtained from this 
generous relief would be invested transparently in the 
country's Poverty Reduction Strategy so it will reduce the 
misery that has kept the country behind. The government will 
also have to take care the new levels of debt so that future 
generations won't have to pay for the expenses of our 
generation." 
 
Palmer