US embassy cable - 05TEGUCIGALPA2092

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 002092 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR IO/UNESCO, IO/T, IO/UNP, WHA/PPC, AND WHA/CEN 
PARIS FOR US MISSION TO UNESCO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, ETRD, SCUL, SOCI, AORC, KJUS, HO, UNESCO, UN 
SUBJECT: HONDURAS GIVEN SECRETARY'S LETTER ON UNESCO 
CONVENTION; GOH AGAIN SUGGESTS UNESCO CANDIDACY VOTE SWAP 
 
REF: A. STATE 184292 
 
     B. TEGUCIGALPA 2029 
     C. STATE 170909 
     D. TEGUCIGALPA 1916 
     E. STATE 122739 
 
1. This is an action cable for IO/UNESCO and IO/T.  Please 
see paragraph 4. 
 
2. PolChief delivered ref A letter from Secretary Rice (under 
cover letter from the Charge) and demarche/non-paper on the 
UNESCO Convention on Cultural Expressions to Acting Foreign 
Minister Juan Alberto Lara Bueso the morning of October 7. 
The demarche was a follow-up of PolChief's September 26 
demarche of ref C to Acting FM Lara Bueso on the same issue 
(see ref B).  The Acting FM had no immediate substantive 
response, but told PolChief that Minister of Education 
Roberto Martinez would be leading the Honduran delegation to 
UNESCO, and that the delegation would also include Vice 
Minister of Culture Jose Funez and the Honduran UNESCO 
PermRep Juan Benana in Paris.  He suggested that the Embassy 
fax copies of the Secretary's letter to these three, which 
Post did the afternoon of October 7.  (EconChief is also 
sharing a copy of the letter with the Minister of Industry 
and Commerce.)  Post suggests that the US Mission to UNESCO 
also approach the Honduran UNESCO PermRep to discuss USG 
concerns with the UNESCO Convention. 
 
3. The Acting FM also asked about the GOH's proposed vote 
swap involving the U.S UNESCO candidacy.  PolChief said that 
in general the USG does not commit itself in advance to 
voting for particular candidates for elections to 
international organizations, but noted that Post had yet to 
receive specific guidance to the GOH's request and that Post 
would ask again for guidance.  (Note: On July 12 Post sent 
ref E 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.  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.  Post relayed this request and 
asked for guidance in ref D.  End Note.) 
 
4.  Action request for IO/UNESCO and IO/T: Post requests 
guidance on Post's response to the Honduran proposed vote 
swap discussed in pgh 3 and ref D. 
Williard