US embassy cable - 05TEGUCIGALPA1916

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 001916 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR IO/T, IO/UNP, WHA/PPC, AND WHA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, SCUL, SOCI, AORC, KJUS, HO, UNESCO, UN 
SUBJECT: HONDURAS REQUESTS U.S. SUPPORT FOR HONDURAN 
CANDIDATE TO UN INTERNATIONAL LAW COMMISSION IN RETURN FOR 
GOH SUPPORT FOR U.S. CANDIDACY TO UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE 
COMMISSION 
 
REF: STATE 122739 
 
1. This is an action cable for IO/T.  Please see paragraph 4. 
 
2.  On July 12 Post sent reftel diplomatic note requesting 
GOH support for the USG candidacy for the World Heritage 
Committee of UNESCO.  Post received vague responses each time 
the issue was mentioned to the MFA until September 5, when 
Post received a diplomatic note from the Honduran Foreign 
Ministry requesting USG support for the Honduran candidate to 
the UN International Law Commission during elections this 
fall at UNGA, in return for Honduran support for the U.S. 
candidacy for the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Paris in 
October. 
 
3.  The Honduran candidate for the UN Commission on 
International Law (2007-11) is Carlos Lopez Contreras.  He 
was the VP candidate for Mayor of Tegucigalpa Miguel Pastor's 
unsuccessful National Party primary campaign for the 
presidential nomination back in February.  Lopez Contreras is 
a former Foreign Minister and current Honduran representative 
for border issues under consideration at the at International 
Court of Justice at The Hague. 
 
4.  Action request for IO/T: Post requests guidance on Post's 
response to the Honduran suggestion/request. 
Williard