US embassy cable - 05TEGUCIGALPA2243

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 002243 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT. FOR WHA/PD; IIP/G/WHA DIPASQUALE; AND IIP/T/ES 
DEPT. FOR EB/TPP DCLUNE, WHA/EPSC AND WHA/CEN 
DEPT. PASS USTR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KPAO, ETRD, HO, USTR 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON MAR DE PLATA AND FTAA, NOVEMBER 
02, 2005 
 
 
1. On 10/21 the Tegucigalpa-based liberal daily "La Tribuna" 
published an editorial entitled "Mar De Plata." "The 
presidents who will meet at the Summit of the Americas will 
discuss Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), the subject 
that will steal all the attention, unemployment and poverty. 
The organizers of the Mar de Plata Summit announced that 80% 
of the declaration has been agreed to; the other 20% will 
include delicate issues, such as FTAA, promoted by the U.S." 
 
"The fact that FTAA is mentioned in the presidents' final 
Declaration has been the powder keg between the American 
presidents." 
 
"Bush, whose administration is passing through a difficult 
time, is going (to the Summit) with the purpose of improving 
his image and relations with the region that have been set 
aside by Washington as a consequence of the terrorist 
attacks. Even though the main issue promoted by the North 
American government is the FTAA, it will find strong 
opposition from several South American governments, 
especially Venezuela which is promoting its own alternative 
(Summit of the People)." 
 
"Social and political groups have organized a parallel 
summit called the `Third Summit of the People' to draw the 
media's attention as much as to highlight the differences 
with the Mar de Plata Summit. A delicate situation that the 
host country will have to balance when there is a threat of 
demonstrations due to the presence of the North American 
President in Argentina. The Honduran President will not 
attend the Summit because this time he will remain in 
Honduras helping the 11,000 victims of Hurricane `Beta.'" 
 
Williard