US embassy cable - 03TEGUCIGALPA552

UNCLAS E F T O SECTION 01 OF 02 TEGUCIGALPA 000552 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR DS/OP/WHA, DS/ICI/ITA AND WHA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC, CASC, PTER, HO 
SUBJECT: EAC TO REVIEW CURRENT SECURITY STATUS 
 
REF: A. 02 STATE 52222 (CME SCH FOR 4/03) 
 
     B. 02 TEGUC 02860 (EAC 9/10/02) 
     C. 02 TEGUC 02564 (EAC 10/10/02) 
     D. 02 TEGUC 03388 (EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS LIMDIS) 
     E. EAP SECTION 900 (CHEM-BIO) 
     F. SECSTATE 32644 
 
1.  At 10:00am on 02/19/03, a meeting of the EAC was convened 
by the Ambassador and chaired by the DCM. 
 
2.  The following sections/agencies were present during the 
EAC meeting: RSO, POL, JTF-B, USAID, PEACE CORPS, CONS, IPC, 
ADM, MSG, DEA, CLO, ECON, PAS, ORA and DAO. 
 
3.  The following issues were discussed by the EAC: 
- ARSO briefed EAC on current security situation in Honduras. 
 
- EAC reviewed status of security measures that are currently 
in place at Mission facilities and options available for 
emergency situations. 
 
- Concerns/implications for the schools attended by Mission 
children should the U.S. go to war with Iraq. 
-- RSO and Admin Officer will meet with school directors to 
discuss current security measures at each school. 
-- Security of busing American children was discussed. 
-- Unless, Department requests us to do so or front office 
deems it necessary, Mission employees (with the exception of 
DOD when policy dictates) will not be required to pull 
children from schools in the event of war.  Parents are 
encouraged to remove their children from schools anytime they 
feel the security of their children is at risk. 
-- CLO will send out a "routine memo" to schools of Mission 
children for the purpose of updating school student contact 
list. 
 
- RSO is planning a visit to the Alternate Command site for 
the EAC members on Friday, March 8th. 
 
- Monthly radio checks will be coordinated by RSO through 
IPC.  RSO and IPC will discuss current radio maintenance 
procedures and discuss alternative methods of radio 
maintenance. 
 
- RSO office will update the inventory of all Mission armored 
vehicles. 
 
- If war occurs, EAC will consider the use of home-to-office 
transportation through GSO. 
 
-  All Mission drills need to be reviewed and scheduled ASAP. 
-- Duck and cover, bomb threat drill, emergency destruction 
and fire drills need to be scheduled immediately. 
-- The RSO should review all drills and make suggestions of 
drills that need to be urgently performed. 
-- Check date for last ENS and Radio check drills. 
 
- Embassy currently has a satellite phone and two Iridium 
phones available for use in case of emergencies. 
 
- RSO staff is carefully tracking demonstrations against 
American interests, noting participants and motives. 
 
- Draw-down list should be reviewed and HR should review 
their preparedness for voluntary/ordered departures. 
 
- Town Hall meetings should be held on regular basis to 
include family members and FSNs,  Ambassador to consider 
town hall meetings for American communities. 
 
- Embassy community is reminded to review and familiarize 
itself with the Mission website including the Crime and 
Security Section. 
 
- Consular should consider some type of backup system for 
notifying the American community of emergency events, should 
primary system fail. 
 
- RSO/CLO are working on security awareness briefings for 
domestic employees. 
 
- RSO will review the Embassy access policy and suggest 
changes/improvements to Country Team. 
 
- Tripwires requiring immediate EAC action: 
   -- Significant Intel and surveillance reports. 
   -- American kidnappings and increased violence directed at 
      Amcits. 
   -- C-12 aircraft mishap 
   -- Delayed responses from Government Officials or local 
      Law Enforcement in wake of hostile environment. 
 
4.  Refs B and C detail EAC meetings, which addressed threat 
assessments and preparedness.  Ref D covers Security, 
Management and Consular issues in detail, as well as Chem-Bio 
Readiness and Post Communications including drills and 
off-site capability.  Ref E, the new Chem-Bio chapter, 
section 900 was completed and sent to DS on 12/13/02. 
 
5.  The Ambassador stressed that EAC members should fully 
review the EAP and be prepared for any contingency in the 
coming weeks given the possibility of U.S. action against 
Iraq.  He underscored that the security of the Embassy and 
its personnel is his top priority. 
Palmer