US embassy cable - 05TEGUCIGALPA2155

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 002155 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR WHA/PD; IIP/G/WHA DIPASQUALE; AND IIP/T/ES 
DEPT. FOR PM, WHA/PPC, AND WHA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KPAO, MOPS, PREL, PGOV, HO 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON SECRETARY OF DEFENSE MEETING WITH 
CENTAM MODS, OCTOBER 14, 2005 
 
 
1. On 10/14 the San Pedro Sula-based liberal daily "Tiempo" 
ran an editorial entitled "Regional Security."  "The 
Secretaries of Defense and Security of Central America met 
 
SIPDIS 
in Key Biscayne, Florida, with the Secretary of Defense of 
the United States, Donald Rumsfeld, with the main objective 
of creating a regional security force." 
 
"In this meeting, the first of its kind in the history of 
North American relations, Mexico and the Dominican Republic 
participated as observers, while the U.S. initiative was 
supported decisively by Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, 
and Nicaragua." 
 
"According to information from the international press, the 
proposal is intended to establish a rapid response force to 
combat terrorism, narcotrafficking and transnational gangs." 
 
"The participation of the armed forces in this regional 
security force is interesting, since there already exists a 
treaty framework for regional democratic security. We 
suppose that whatever collective agreement emerges coincides 
with this treaty already in full effect." 
 
"The declarations of Secretary Rumsfeld are opportune in the 
sense that with more organization and cooperation we can 
destroy the threats that exist against security `only 
together we can face these threats.'" 
 
"But the Minister of the Interior of Belize, Ralf Fonseca, 
has valid concerns when he insists that, in regards to the 
creation of a regional security force, the role of the armed 
forces and the military be very clear `to counter the risk 
of militarizing nations or politicizing the armed forces.'" 
 
Williard