US embassy cable - 03TEGUCIGALPA1713

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 001713 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR PD/WHA (JGREENBLATT); IIP/G/WHA DIPASQUALE; EB/EPPD DCLUNE; 
USTR AGASH 
INFO IIP/T/ES 
EMBASSIES FOR PAOS, IOs, 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KPAO, HO, PA, ETRD, USTR 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON CAFTA, JULY 17, 2003 
 
 
1. Editorial in Tegucigalpa-based liberal daily "La Tribuna" on 
7/17 entitled "The ball". "The Central American presidents will 
meet in Guatemala to analyze the progress of CAFTA negotiations 
and to follow up on an initiative presented by Spanish President 
Jose Maria Aznar, who said in a meeting held in San Salvador last 
week that the ball to start the negotiations for a free trade 
agreement with the EU is in Central America's court." 
 
"They will also talk about what they should have discussed before 
CAFTA negotiations kicked off, the need to present a common 
proposal to the US. After the show they put during the 
Tegucigalpa Round of negotiations, where they were unable to move 
forward as a result of the discrepancies between the Central 
American negotiation teams, the presidents were required to step 
up to provide the necessary political backing for their 
negotiators." 
 
"We anticipate positive results from this presidential summit, 
considering that these meetings are frequent but we don't see any 
results. We especially expect some progress on the regional 
integration process. We'll see if Central America hands the ball 
over to President Aznar." 
 
Palmer