US embassy cable - 02TEGUCIGALPA3322

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 003322 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR L/T, INL, EB, AND WHA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PBTS, KTIA, KCRM, ETRD, HO 
SUBJECT: HONDURAN CONGRESS APPROVES STOLEN VEHICLE TREATY 
WITH U.S.; DECREE PUBLISHED IN HONDURAN FEDERAL REGISTER 
 
REF: STATE 242132 
 
1. Upon receipt of reftel that informed Post that the Senate 
on November 14 had given advice and consent to ratification 
of the Treaty With Honduras for Return of Stolen, Robbed, and 
Embezzled Vehicles and Aircraft, EmbOffs began checking into 
the status of Honduran congressional action on the treaty. 
The Economic Section discovered that on October 29 a decree 
(266-2002) was published in "La Gaceta," the Honduran version 
of the Federal Register, announcing that Congress had given 
approval August 6 to the treaty. 
 
2. PolOff confirmed this information December 6 with MFA 
Director General for Treaties Ivonne Bonilla.  PolOff 
informed Bonilla of the Senate's action and Bonilla said that 
the MFA is ready to discuss an exchange of instruments of 
ratification as soon as the USG is ready. 
 
3. Comment:  Post notes that EmbOffs were never informed by 
the MFA nor Congress that Congress had approved the treaty or 
that the decree had been published in La Gaceta. 
Unfortunately, this is not atypical behavior for the MFA. 
End Comment. 
PIERCE