PRESIDENT ARIAS DISCUSSES HIS MEDIATION EFFORTS

id: 218487

date: 7/28/2009 15:37

refid: 09TEGUCIGALPA663

origin: Embassy Tegucigalpa

classification: SECRET

destination: 09TEGUCIGALPA635

header:

VZCZCXRO8422

OO RUEHAO RUEHCD RUEHGA RUEHGD RUEHHA RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHMT RUEHNG

RUEHNL RUEHQU RUEHRD RUEHRG RUEHRS RUEHTM RUEHVC

DE RUEHTG #0663 2091537

ZNY SSSSS ZZH

O 281537Z JUL 09

FM AMEMBASSY TEGUCIGALPA

TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0271

INFO RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS IMMEDIATE

RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE

RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC IMMEDIATE

RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE

RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE

RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC IMMEDIATE

RHEHAAA/THE WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE

RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE 1143

RUMIAAA/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL IMMEDIATE

RUMIAAA/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL//CINC/POLAD// IMMEDIATE

RUEAHND/CDRJTFB SOTO CANO HO IMMEDIATE

----------------- header ends ----------------

S E C R E T TEGUCIGALPA 000663

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA A/S TOM SHANNON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/28/2019

TAGS: PREL, PGOV, AEMR, KDEM, MARR, PINR, TFH01, HO

SUBJECT: PRESIDENT ARIAS DISCUSSES HIS MEDIATION EFFORTS

REF: (A) TEGUCIGALPA 635 AND PREVIOUS (B) SECSTATE

69222

Classified By: Ambassador Hugo Llorens, reasons 1.4 (b & d)

1. (S) President Arias called the Ambassador the evening

of July 27 to get an update on the situation in Honduras

and our efforts to support his mediation efforts. The

Ambassador responded that the situation was mixed. On the

positive side, the Honduran military was now moving in the

direction of supporting Arias' mediation effort and a

settlement along the lines of his most recent 12-point

proposal. The Ambassador noted that the Honduran military's

issuance of a statement on July 25 supportive of a

negotiated settlement was a strong step forward. The

Ambassador added that through persistent U.S. efforts here in

Tegucigalpa and in Washington many Hondurans in the

political, business, and civil society communities were

now supportive of a democratic solution as offered by Arias'

mediation. The Ambassador stressed that we continued to

pause in our economic assistance, had completely suspended

our military aid, and were moving to put direct pressure on

regime officials by withdrawing their diplomatic visas. The

Ambassador noted that the recent visit of a congressional

delegation led by Congressman Connie Mack, in which the CODEL

had met in a very high-profile manner with de facto regime

President Roberto Micheletti, had not been helpful to our

efforts to find a democratic and constitutional solution to

the crisis, since it gave the Micheletti the hope to hang

tough and not negotiate on the issue of the quick return of

President Zelaya.

2. (S) Arias agreed with the Ambassador's assessment. He

added that President Zelaya's continued antics on the

border were also not helpful. Arias made clear that he

opposed Zelaya's lingering presence on the border and his

threats to return with supporters back to Honduras. Both

agreed that the practical reaction to Zelaya's threats on

the border was a hardening of the regime's position, making

an agreement more difficult. Arias and the Ambassador also

agreed that Zelaya was increasingly isolated and being

influenced in a radical direction by Venezuela and

Nicaragua. The Ambassador told Arias that Zelaya advisor

Rixi Moncada had mentioned yesterday that there was a

chance that President Zelaya would attend the Tuxtla Summit

on Wednesday. Arias responded that he and his government had

not been informed of Zelaya's planned participation in the

Summit, although he agreed it would be a very wise decision

if he chose to travel to Costa Rica. Both agreed that

Zelaya should consider traveling to Washington for

consultations

with the U.S. Administration and the OAS, and possibly travel

to other capitals including Mexico.

3. (S) Arias mentioned that the Honduran Congress's

consideration of the Arias proposal, particularly the

political amnesty aspects of the deal, were extremely

important. The Ambassador briefed Arias on the

congressional deliberations begun on July 27, which

included the creation of congressional commissions to study

the different aspects of the proposed agreement. The

Ambassador said that the embassy would make a major push

this week to influence Congress to throw their support

behind Arias' mediation. They agreed to stay in touch.

LLORENS

=======================CABLE ENDS============================